Now and Then (film)

Now and Then
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Lesli Linka Glatter
Written by	I. Marlene King
Produced by	Demi Moore Suzanne Todd
Starring	Gaby Hoffmann Demi Moore Thora Birch Melanie Griffith Christina Ricci Rosie O'Donnell Ashleigh Aston Moore Rita Wilson
Cinematography	Ueli Steiger
Edited by	Jacqueline Cambas
Music by	Cliff Eidelman
Distributed by	New Line Cinema
Release date	October 20, 1995
Running time	100 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$12,000,000
Box office	$37,591,674

Now and Then is a 1995 film directed by Lesli Linka Glatter and starring Christina Ricci, Rosie O'Donnell, Thora Birch, Melanie Griffith, Gaby Hoffmann, Demi Moore, Ashleigh Aston Moore and Rita Wilson.

It was filmed largely in Savannah, Georgia, using the downtown squares and the Country Walk subdivision Gaslight Addition and Bonaventure Cemetery and Statesboro, Georgia, highlighting the downtown area. Statesboro locations include the Bulloch County Court House (also featured in the film "1969") and the building now housing the Averitt Center for the Arts.

A dramatic sequence in the film features a storm drain in a rainstorm that is on Statesboro's West Main Street, across the street from Main Street Billiards and near 119 Chops Restaurant.

It has been referred to as a female version of the 1986 film, Stand by Me.

On July 18, 2012, it was announced that ABC Family will be developing the film into a television series by I. Marlene King, who wrote the film and adapted Pretty Little Liars. However, the project did not move past the development stage.

Plot

Set in 1991 in Shelby, Indiana, four childhood friends reunite. Samantha "Sam" Albertson, a science-fiction writer, narrates the story. She was considered the "weird" girl who liked performing seances and whose parents divorced when she was an adolescent. Roberta Martin, a doctor, was a tough tomboy whose mother died when she was four-years-old. Chrissy DeWitt is married and lives in her childhood home. Her first child is due to be born at any moment. A naive youngster, Chrissy was overly sheltered by her mother. Tina "Teeny" Tercell is a successful Hollywood actress who always dreamed of fame. Teeny and Samantha have not visited their hometown in ten years.

The girls reminisce about the summer of 1970 and the story flashes back to when they had two goals: to save enough money to buy a tree house and avoid the bullying Wormer brothers. One night, they sneak out to the graveyard to perform a seance. A cracked tombstone convinces them that they have resurrected the spirit of a young boy named "Dear" Johnny. Intrigued, they search for information at the library but find nothing. They later bike to the library at a nearby town. Along the way they see the Wormer brothers skinny dipping in the lake. To retaliate for a prank the boys played on them, the girls steal their clothes, throwing them onto the road as they ride off.

Roberta discovers an article about her mother dying in a car accident, something previously unknown to her. Samantha finds information about Dear Johnny and his mother tragically dying, but part of the article is missing, leaving the cause a mystery. The girls visit a psychic who determines that Johnny was murdered.

When Sam goes home, she unexpectedly meets Bud Kent, a man her newly-single mother invited to dinner. Upset, Sam storms out and goes to Teeny's. They hang out in the tree house display at the store where Sam reveals that her parents are divorcing. Teeny comforts her, then breaks her favorite necklace in two and gives one half to Sam as a, "best friends for life" bracelet. On their way home, Sam loses the bracelet in a storm drain and climbs down to retrieve it. The water rises and she begins to drown. Crazy Pete, an old vagrant, pulls her out. Grateful, the girls now see him differently. At the same time, Roberta is playing basketball in her driveway when Scott Wormer suddenly arrives. They question why they fight all the time before sharing a kiss.

Finding an old newspaper article, the girls learn that Johnny and his mother were murdered. Roberta becomes upset and angry that two innocent people were killed and also by realizing that her mother died violently, despite her father's claim. Samantha confesses that her parents are divorcing, and the four make a pact to always be there for one another.

At the cemetery, the girls perform another seance to put Dear Johnny's soul to rest. His tombstone suddenly rises surrounded by bright light. A figure appears from behind, but it is only the grounds keeper who explains the tombstone was damaged and is being replaced. Realizing they never resurrected Dear Johnny, the girls agree to stop doing seances. While leaving, they notice Crazy Pete, and Sam follows him to Dear Johnny's grave. Realizing that he is Johnny's father, she comforts him, while he advises her not to dwell on things. Some time after, the tree house is finally bought, and Samantha narrates: "The tree house was supposed to bring us more independence. But what the summer actually brought was us independence from each other."

The film returns to 1991, and Chrissy gives birth to a girl. Later, in their old tree house, they discuss how happy they are in life and make another pact to visit more often.

Characters

Samantha Albertson

Samantha Albertson (Gaby Hoffmann/Demi Moore) narrates the film. She is considered "weird", and believes in the paranormal and conducts the seances in the graveyard. Her home life is shaken when her parents divorce. As an adult, she is a popular science-fiction author who has commitment issues. At age 12, she was the most invested in the mystery of Dear Johnny, whose spirit the girls believe they have resurrected from his grave. She alone learns the truth behind his death, and receives valuable advice that later helps her come to terms with her current struggles in life

Roberta Martin

Roberta Martin (Christina Ricci/Rosie O'Donnell) is the only female in her household after her mother died in a car accident when Roberta was four. As a result, she became a tomboy with femininity issues. She tapes her breasts, plays sports, and will not hesitate to fight a boy. She struggles to come to terms with death, particularly her mother's. She leads the girls in their rivalry with the Wormer brothers, but eventually shares a kiss with Scott Wormer (Devon Sawa). Afterwards, she stops taping her breasts, indicating she accepts growing into a woman. As an adult, she is a doctor (an obstetrician), and, "lives in sin with her boyfriend."

Chrissy DeWitt

Chrissy DeWitt (Ashleigh Aston Moore/Rita Wilson) was raised by an overbearing, fastidious mother (played by Bonnie Hunt) who shelters her. Her naivete, particularly about sexuality, is often laughed at by her friends. She is the "good girl", who chastises the others for cussing (both as a child and an adult). Being the most responsible, she closely monitors "tree house money" they save. She always questions the others' schemes, but is fiercely loyal to them. As an adult, she marries the nerdy Morton Williams, and they live her mother's old house, with the girls' old tree house still in the backyard. The birth of her first child brings Samantha and Teeny back to their hometown.

Tina "Teeny" Tercell

Tina "Teeny" Tercell (Thora Birch/Melanie Griffith) lives with her rich country-club parents who are rarely around, which according to Samantha's narration is a, "typical upbringing for actors and pathological liars." She loves glamour, and likes to dress up, play with makeup, and watch movies at the drive-in movie that she can see from her rooftop. She demonstrates the most interest in sexuality and boys, often flirting with them. She always desires to have bigger breasts. (As an adult, she gets breast implants.) She becomes a successful actress and has had multiple marriages. She arrives in Shelby via limousine that is later co-opted to transport Chrissy to the hospital when she goes into labor).

Reception

The film was released on October 20, 1995 and was critically panned. Based on reviews collected by Rotten Tomatoes, the film received a 19% approval rating by critics, with an average score of 4.7/10. Roger Ebert remarked in his review that, although the entire film was obviously heavily modeled after Stand by Me, "[w]hat distinguished Stand by Me was the psychological soundness of the story: We could believe it and care about it. Now and Then is made of artificial bits and pieces." Gene Siskel likewise did not recommend the movie and wished that the story had focused more on the adults than the "inconsequential" story of the children. Ebert opined the reverse. They both praised the talent of all four young lead actresses.

Cast

• Christina Ricci as Young Roberta Martin
• Rosie O'Donnell as Adult Roberta Martin
• Thora Birch as Young Tina "Teeny" Tercell
• Melanie Griffith as Adult Tina "Teeny" Tercell
• Gaby Hoffmann as Young Samantha Albertson
• Demi Moore as Adult Samantha Albertson
• Ashleigh Aston Moore as Young Chrissy DeWitt
• Rita Wilson as Adult Chrissy DeWitt-Williams
• Tucker Stone as Young Morton Williams
• Carl Espy as Dr. Morton Williams
• Devon Sawa as Scott Wormer
• Lolita Davidovich as Mrs. Albertson, Samantha's Mom
• Rumer Willis as Angela Albertson, Samantha's sister (credited as Willa Glen)
• Cloris Leachman as Grandma Albertson
• Hank Azaria as Bud Kent, Mrs. Albertson's boyfriend
• Bonnie Hunt as Mrs. DeWitt, Chrissy's Mom
• Janeane Garofalo as Wiladene
• Walter Sparrow as "Crazy Pete"
• Bradley Coryell as Wormer Brother
• Travis Robertson as Wormer Brother
• Justin Humphrey as Wormer Brother
• Brendan Fraser as Vietnam veteran (uncredited)
• Toby Ganger as himself

Soundtrack and score

Columbia Records released a soundtrack album on October 17, 1995. Except for Susanna Hoffs's end credit song, the album was made up of tunes from the period.

1. "Sugar, Sugar" – The Archies (2:45)
2. "Knock Three Times" – Tony Orlando/Dawn (2:54)
3. "I Want You Back" – The Jackson 5 (2:53)
4. "Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours" – Stevie Wonder (2:39)
5. "Band of Gold" – Freda Payne (2:53)
6. "Daydream Believer" – The Monkees (2:49)
7. "No Matter What" – Badfinger (2:59)
8. "Hitchin' a Ride" – Vanity Fare (2:55)
9. "All Right Now" – Free (5:29)
10. "I'm Gonna Make You Love Me" – Supremes/Temptations (3:06)
11. "I'll Be There" – The Jackson 5 (3:56)
12. "Now and Then" – Susanna Hoffs (5:34)

Varèse Sarabande issued an album of Cliff Eidelman's score on October 24, 1995.

1. "Main Title" (3:05)
2. "Remembrance" (1:57)
3. "A Secret Meeting" (2:11)
4. "On the Swing" (1:26)
5. "It's My Mom" (2:32)
6. "Spirits Are Here" (2:17)
7. "Sam's Dad Leaves" (1:56)
8. "It's a Girl" (1:48)
9. "Roberta Fakes Death" (1:26)
10. "Best Friends for Life" (3:07)
11. "Pete Saves Sam" (2:29)
12. "The Pact" (3:10)
13. "No More Seances" (1:44)
14. "Rest in Peace Johnny" (4:22)

External links

• Now and Then at IMDb
• Now and Then at AllMovie
• Now and Then at Rotten Tomatoes