Beaches (2017 film)

Beaches is a 2017 American television drama film directed by Allison Anders and written by Bart Baker and Nikole Beckwith. It is a remake of the 1988 film of the same name. The film stars Idina Menzel and Nia Long. The film premiered on Lifetime on January 21, 2017.[1]

Beaches
Based onBeaches
by Iris Rainer Dart
Screenplay byBart Baker
Nikole Beckwith
Directed byAllison Anders
StarringIdina Menzel
Nia Long
Composer(s)Lesley Barber
Country of originUnited States
Original language(s)English
Production
Producer(s)Harvey Kahn
CinematographyJohn Brawley
Running time87 minutes
Production company(s)A+E Studios
Release
Original networkLifetime
Original release
  • January 21, 2017 (2017-01-21)

Plot

Two friends, with different backgrounds, keep a long-lasting friendship through childhood, love, and tragedy, in this thrilling remake.

Cast
  • Idina Menzel as CC Bloom
  • Nia Long as Hillary Whitney
    • Grace Capeless as Young Hillary Whitney
  • Antonio Cupo as John Pierce
  • Barbara Beall as Costume Designer
  • Daniel Letto as Sorcerer Actor
  • Colin Lawrence as Bryan
  • Sanai Victoria as Tory Whitney
  • Rebecca Husain as Pretty Sinners Director
  • Graeme Duffy as Sorcerer Composer
  • Kate Isaac as Assistant District Attorney
  • Jane Hancock as Ashley

Production

On July 28, 2016, the film was announced, with Idina Menzel joining the cast.[2] On August 16, 2016, it was announced Nia Long had joined the cast.[3] Principal photography began on August 15, 2016.[2]

Reception

Beaches received negative reviews, with most critics assessing it as inferior to the already mediocre 1988 original.[4][5][6] Mike Hale of The New York Times pointed out the absurdity of remaking Beaches, itself a 1950s throwback which failed to update its themes to the decades in which the film is set. He added that "Stuffing the story into 70 percent of the time makes C. C. and Hillary’s cycle of fights and reconciliations feel more arbitrary than ever, especially in the absence of [Bette] Midler, whose vivid portrayal of C. C. provided motivations that weren’t in the script."[4] Blake Meredith wrote in the Los Angeles Times that "Any time a beloved movie or TV series gets a remake, knee-jerk purists howl about it 'ruining' the original. 'Beaches' .. is the rare case of a remake that might actually do just that." She explained that by reducing the length to 90 minutes while otherwise staying faithful to the original film only serves to make the silliness of the original Beaches stand out more clearly, particularly noting how the shorter length forces most of the plot to be delivered through exposition.[5] CNN Entertainment described it as tedious and dated, but said Menzel's singing is a highlight and makes the film arguably worth watching by Lifetime standards.[7] The Boston Globe said it exasperated the chief shortcoming of the original film, the lack of substantial basis for C.C. and Hillary's friendship. Reviewer Matthew Gilbert stated, "It’s not so much that Menzel and Long are bad — they’re consistently OK, if never better than that — but the story is too hollow for them to dig in. Singer-actress CC and lawyer Hillary meet as kids, become pen pals, room together, fall in love with the same guy ... and go through their expected friendship arc. None of it manages to work up much lather."[6]

gollark: It probably won't be "over" until 2021 or so.
gollark: Interesting.
gollark: `npm install -g financial-support`
gollark: (also unix line endings are superior)
gollark: No, I know about these "line endings", I mean by what definition is "life" a "scam"?

References
  1. Liz Calvario (2016-11-29). "Beaches Remake Trailer: Idina Menzel Sings Wind Beneath My Wings". IndieWire. Retrieved 2017-01-23.
  2. Andreeva, Nellie (2016-07-28). "'Beaches' Movie Remake Starring Idina Menzel Greenlighted By Lifetime". Deadline. Retrieved 2017-01-23.
  3. Andreeva, Nellie (2016-08-16). "'Beaches': Nia Long To Play Hillary In Lifetime Remake". Deadline. Retrieved 2017-01-23.
  4. Hale, Mike (January 20, 2017). "Review: They've, Sob, Remade 'Beaches'". The New York Times. Retrieved 31 December 2019.
  5. Blake, Meredith (January 20, 2017). "'Beaches' Is a Misguided Remake of the Weepy Classic on Lifetime". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 31 December 2019.
  6. Gilbert, Matthew (January 18, 2017). "Cry Me an Ocean: The remake of 'Beaches' Overflows with Melodrama". Boston Globe. Retrieved 31 December 2019.
  7. Lowry, Brian (January 20, 2017). "'Beaches' Remake Doesn't Achieve Liftoff on Lifetime". CNN Entertainment. Retrieved 31 December 2019.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.