Road Trippin' ... "The Last Laugh"

The Last Laugh (2019) 

TV-MA

Starring Chevy Chase, Richard Dreyfuss, Andie MacDowell

Written and Directed by Greg Pritikin

The Story:

Moving to a retirement community, talent manager Al Hart (Chase) laments having to give up his career. As fate would have it, his very first client, comedian Buddy Green (Dreyfuss) is at the community, and the two rekindle their friendship. 50 years earlier, Buddy turned down his shot on the Ed Sullivan Show. Al's got a great idea: put Buddy back in the game as they take a road trip across America to get on The Tonight Show!

It's a buddy comedy/road trip for the geriatric set!

Dreyfuss and Chase are both in fine form in the film.

Chevy, in particular, looks to be in the best shape he's been in recent years. He actually gets to play the straight man, as such, in the duo. So much of the mugging for the camera he's been asked to do over his career is not there in this film.

Dreyfuss instead gets to play the funny man, but as his comic notes, he doesn't have an act so much as he has a lifetime of jokes.

With Netflix releasing movies seemingly every day, there's going to be a lot that slip under the radar as they can only promote so many films on their home page when you log on.

This is a good thing.

Direct competition to the networks, broadcast and cable, and to Hollywood with their big budget attempts, it's going to make everyone up their game.

That makes the audience the true winners here.

"Cedar Cove" A Nice Place To Visit...

Cedar Cove (2013)

TV

Starring Sarah Smyth, Brenna Elliott, Andie MacDowell, Dylan Neal

The Story:

Cedar Cove, Washington.  Home of Judge Lockhart (MacDowell) and her daughter Sarah (Smyth).  This is their story.

What happens when what appears to be a made for Lifetime TV movie turns into a weekly series?

If you said "Cedar Cove", you're absolutely correct.

Watching the premiere episode, and the plot follows the Judge as she is nominated to become a Federal judge from an old college classmate who is now a senator.  At the end of the day, she decides she likes it where she's at, and turns down the nomination.

Sure, that might sound dull, but with MacDowell in the lead, and the introduction of a host of other characters who will interact in the lives of the Lockhart family, for better or worse.

Filmed in beautiful British Columbia, the city is taking on a life of its own as a character for the show.

While I won't be binge watching this one, I will likely watch what happens next when it's a slow night or the kids are around or we're winding down and don't have time for a full  movie.

Season One now available for streaming on Netflix as of this writing.


Final Grade: B-

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: No need to purchase, but good enough to keep watching to see what might happen next.