<Review by: Sailesh Ghelani>

Directed by Bill Holderman. Starring Diane Keaton, Jane Fonda, Candice Bergen, Mary Steenburgen, Craig T Nelson, Andy Garcia, Don Johnson, Richard Dreyfuss, Ed Begley Jr., Alicia Silverstone

Running time: 1 hour 44 minutes

When so many good actors get together you wonder why they could not have given them something more to do apart from being in a silly rom-com.

You know exactly how this film is going to play out: four ‘mature’ women at different places in their lives trying to reinvent their love – and sex – lives spurred on by a book (Fifty Shades) they are discussing. They end up being each other’s inspiration more than the book and off they go on dating adventures with guys mostly younger than them.

Rather than being a collaborative story, each woman has her own storyline and they all intermittently coalesce to discuss events so far. They tackle their men, love and sex in their own ways, which is sometimes funny but usually predictable especially since all the characters actually have traits from the actors who play them (Diane Keaton dresses like Diane Keaton).

Of all the storylines, the love story between Jane Fonda and Don Johnson is the only one that actually ignites some interest. While all the actors are great in their parts and make their lines sound fresh, the material and direction are dull and uninteresting.

Why couldn’t this have been a murder mystery or a thriller instead of a romantic comedy? Is it because the actors wanted it to be ‘fun’? I’m not sure, but as much as it’s a treat to watch them all, you know it’s a bad film that will be forgotten as soon as you leave the theatre.