The short story The Prize must have struck a chord with comedic legend Billy Crystal. The SNL veteran not only stars in the film—Here Today—based on the story but co-wrote it and directs it as well. The pairing of comedienne Tiffany Haddish and Crystal is not only comedy gold, but the duo does the heart good with their portrayal of an “old man” comedy writer, Charlie Burnz, a singer, Emma Payge, and their unlikely friendship.
“Old man” is what Payge calls Burnz, affectionately, as their friendship believably blossoms over three acts. The pair meet over a lunch that her cheating ex-boyfriend won at a charity auction. See, Crystal’s character is an award-winning comedy writer who has won Emmys and Tonys and achieved critical and commercial success as a screenwriter. Payge’s ex is a big fan and so she took the winning auction ticket and sits down to a meal with a man she’s never heard of, much less seen any of his work.
Immediately, these two thespians have an unspoken comedic spark. They come from differing schools of comedy, but making people laugh—regardless of how we get there—is a gift that is nicely explored in Here Today. Crystal waxes poetic about loss and life and how, for him, the air that still fills his lungs is largely driven there by hearing that audience respond hilariously to something he wrote.
He is currently working as a “lead” writer for an SNL-like show. Even though the writer’s room is completely possessed by souls that are in their 20s and 30s, Burnz has a way of making his presence felt without ever being overbearing or eye-rolling while degrading. He knows his place on the team, and one of the touching elements of the film is seeing him mentor a Harvard Lampoon grad with tons of potential, yet is until this point, unable to tap into it successfully.
Still, the headline here is Haddish and Crystal. The pair have a rhythm to their banter that keeps the film fresh, even as there are a half dozen tropes utilized that we’ve all seen a million times prior. Witnessing their friendship organically evolve is both humorous, obviously, but keenly emotively compelling. While the viewer keeps waiting for a trope that is too often and too obvious, the pair to romantically connect, to not rear its head, the pair keep the friendship fire burning bright. That is done through realistic connections on matters ranging from family to fame, and especially that burning desire to achieve one’s dreams and the costs that come along with that.
Burnz has had major success. But his relationship with his children, Rex (Penn Badgley) and Francine (Laura Benanti) have suffered because of it. He sees his son weekly for a tennis match, but things with his daughter are strained, putting it mildly.
Now, his connection with his granddaughter Lindsay (Audrey Hsieh), on the other hand… is priceless. The two share a palpable connection that plays a major role in the plotline’s journey and its ultimate conclusion. He brings Payge as his plus-one to her Bat Mitzvah and everything you need to know about Burnz’s relationship with everyone in this world that Crystal has brought to life plays out over the course of the event’s post-religious soiree.
Haddish’s singer even grabs the mic at one point at the Bat Mitzvah party (for a killer rendition of Janis Joplin’s Piece of My Heart). The actress, who has been on fire these last few years (in films such as Girls Trip to Night School), certainly can be known to play a character that feels awfully close to her stand-up persona. There are shades of that with Payge, but Crystal (both wearing his actor and director’s hat) effectively reins that in, all without suppressing the magic that makes the comedienne so in-demand. She still gets to do plenty of what her fans have come to expect from her.
She also gets to push herself. Haddish successfully flexes some dramatic muscles as well, something innate to the narrative, and most importantly, her character’s specific role within this story.
In what should not be a surprise to anyone, Crystal’s turn as Burnz is a match made in heaven. Obviously, that short story got to him because of that fact. No one invests the time that it requires to bring a film to life if a fire isn’t sparked inside. The beloved actor worked closely with Alan Zweibel, the writer of The Prize, as the pair turned his short story into a full-length film.
There’s plenty to laugh at, as well as a subject matter to warm the cockles of your heart—even issues to make you think about your own life. But there are moments, on occasion, that have one keenly aware that this story was a short story. These are the same issues shared by other short tales given the feature treatment.
There are no scenes that feel like filler or are unnecessary. Here Today could just use some tightening. Perhaps Crystal was too close to the subject to know what could be cut and what needed to stay. This isn’t a running time issue. Three minutes shy of two hours is not a long movie. Without spoiling plot points, let’s just say there are elements that simultaneously feel bloated and dramatically rushed.
Here Today has a lot going for it and is a worthy endeavor by all involved and one completely worth your time. Crystal and Haddish are terrific together and what works well in the film wouldn’t be half as effective without them and their priceless chemistry.
It’s an emotionally moving movie and a rare film nowadays that can make you laugh and cry. On the particular evening that I screened Crystal’s film, it was exactly what the doctor ordered.
Grade: B