Film Review: BOOK CLUB: THE NEXT CHAPTER (2023): Aging Performers Have a Blast in a Movie with Energy but Very Little Plot

Book Club: The Next Chapter Review

Book Club: The Next Chapter (2023) Film Review, a movie directed by Bill Holderman, written by Erin Simms and Bill Holderman and starring Diane Keaton, Jane Fonda, Candice Bergen, Mary Steenburgen, Don Johnson, Craig T. Nelson, Andy Garcia, Giancarlo Giannini, Hugh Quarshie, Adriano De Pasquale, Vincent Riotta, Grace Truly, Mario Russo, Giampiero Judica and Giovanni Esposito.

Let’s face the facts–there’s not a lot of book reading going on in director Bill Holderman’s new sequel, Book Club: The Next Chapter. So, why make it a Book Club picture at all? They could have cast the same stars from the original Book Club movie in a story of four aging friends who travel to Italy together. At the beginning of the new film, the stars of the female-led picture do some reading since their characters are living through the pandemic. But, that’s just the opening of the movie. From there, the sequel becomes an exercise in silly situations occurring around four of the greatest female talents of their generation– Diane Keaton, Jane Fonda, Candice Bergen and Mary Steenburgen– traveling to Italy. Still, it’s hard not to admire watching these energetic women trade zingy barbs on screen. However, this is a movie which is as light as they come with a plot so threadbare, you could blink and miss it.

Reprising their roles from the original picture, Keaton plays Diane, Fonda is Vivian, Bergen portrays Sharon and Steenburgen is Carol. As the movie’s premise starts to come into light, the four friends decide to travel to Italy together to have a good time together. The pandemic has gotten in their way of having fun recently and they’re ready to cut loose and enjoy each other’s company. Upon arrival in Italy, they look at naked statues (one of them jokingly says, “he’s as hard as a rock”).

Andy Garcia’s character, Mitchell, is now Diane’s new boyfriend and Craig T. Nelson plays Carol’s husband Bruce who the girls watch on camera in Italy while he’s at home in the States. Bruce tries to sneak some bacon behind Carol’s back but she’ll certainly catch him in the act. Don Johnson’s character, Arthur, loves Vivian. Fonda and Johnson have a terrific on-screen chemistry together despite their age difference. Eventually, Vivian and Arthur plan to get married in Italy together. A lot of the latter scenes in the film focus on whether or not Vivian will go through with the marriage being she has always thought of marriage as an unnecessary process in life.

The funniest scenes in the movie revolve around our ladies getting in trouble with a cop which leads them to a jail cell. Vivian thinks an Italian police officer is a stripper and hilariously asks to see his “concealed weapon.” What’s the likelihood that all four women would get to share a cell together in prison after getting in some serious hot water? Not too high but they get to do so in the movie and bond. Steenburgen, in particular, shines in the jail scene as she reflects on life while waiting for their mutual Italian friend to help them get out of this very uncomfortable situation.

There is also a situation where Diane must part with some ashes of a past loved one and she has to throw them out of a helicopter. Thar scene felt like filler but the zaniness of the wedding sequences towards the end is cute and offers some true entertainment value. Some male characters show up in Italy to stand behind their women and the resolution is sweet and endearing.

However, these elements don’t fit a movie titled Book Club: The Next Chapter. In the first film, the ladies were reading Fifty Shades of Gray which was a really fun plot device. This time out, there are some mentions of books but nothing as inspired as the plot developments found in the first movie.

Diane Keaton has a great time on screen thanks to her charismatic self-deprecating sense of humor. Keaton has long talked about being single so there is a bit of irony in the way her character develops in the new film. Candice Bergen is simply hysterical as the single friend in the book club who also has a legal background which means she is able to seal the deal on a marriage ceremony and will get to do so by the time the movie ends. Jane Fonda is also a blast bringing the most humor to her role and she keeps the laughs coming throughout while Steenburgen adds dignity and charm to her character as well.

Book Club: The Next Chapter wouldn’t be as fun without the men, though. Don Johnson hasn’t been this good in years. He and Fonda have a natural ability to captivate the audience. Johnson’s line delivery during a wedding scene towards the end is priceless. Andy Garcia and Keaton also shine in their respective roles, adding some nice chemistry to the film as a whole. Garcia is very dignified in his role and proves he has always been one of our most undervalued actors. Steenburgen and the always reliable Craig T. Nelson are also enjoyable to watch as their characters get to go through a rocky road in the midsection of the film as a key character from Carol’s past re-emerges in Italy.

But, in the final analysis, Book Club: The Next Chapter could have been better. They should have written more literary references into the plot and some of the movie feels like it’s going through the motions. Still, you can’t beat the cast for a good time if you don’t set the bar too high.

Rating: 6.5/10

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