Hollywood has long been pilloried for its clueless ageist casting which has seen – largely male – directors retire women from romantic leading roles once they hit the tender age of 40. But the tide has turned and heading the charge is the irrepressible Jane Fonda.
At 85, Jane is the oldest of the star-studded quartet of women blazing a trail in Book Club: The Next Chapter, and also the sassiest. In the film we see her character, commitment-phobe Vivian, finally heading for matrimony after a life of fierce independence. Sporting a sizeable rock from the lover who first proposed to her decades before, she heads off on a bachelorette romp to Rome with her girlfriends to celebrate and prepare for the big day.
This is the sequel to hit movie Book Club which grossed a jawdropping US$104.4 million worldwide – proof that women of a certain age really can command the limelight and at the same time make bankable movies. Jane’s sidekicks in that movie and are powerhouse stars Candice Bergen, Diane Keaton and Mary Steenbergen, and their combined 308 years give a fine-wine depth to the frothy comedy.
I also couldn’t help but notice that it is 73-year-old Don Johnson who plays Vivian’s lovesick fi ancé. Remember him? Don became a sex symbol in the 1980s in the hit TV precinct drama Miami Vice ... In Book Club it is, of course, Jane Fonda’s character who is the foxy siren!
Such ironic casting is not lost on the audience and the tongue-in-cheek humour carries through into the plot. In a nod to classic rom-com, one of the best scenes in the film sees Jane burning up the screen trying on wedding dresses in an haute couture bridal gown emporium in Rome. Needless to say she looks seriously hot while also having a ball.
This story is from the May 2023 edition of Australian Women’s Weekly NZ.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the May 2023 edition of Australian Women’s Weekly NZ.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
BATTLE FOR THE THRONE
As word of a judgement leaks from the courtroom where the Murdochs have been tussling for power, those close to the throne suggest that the battle for the world’s most powerful media empire has only just begun.
AFTER THE WAVE
Twenty years ago, the Boxing Day tsunami tore across the Indian Ocean, shredding towns, villages and holiday resorts, and killing hundreds of thousands of people from Indonesia to Africa. Three survivors share their memories of shock, terror and loss with The Weekly.
Escape to the country
Raised in New Zealand, design icon Collette Dinnigan opens the doors to her family homestead, where treasures from her travels rest side by side with the sights, sounds and style of her Australian life.
Ripe for the picking
Apricots are at their peak sweetness now, take inspiration from our savoury and sweet ideas.
Grill-licious
The backyard barbecue has come a long way from the days of chargrilling some snags. Try our fresh batch of recipe inspiration for your next cook-up.
Reclaim your brain
Perimenopause made me realise that our brains need looking after.
Long and the short of it
If youre considering a chop and change, this is how to nail a hair transformation.
Have we lost the art of conversation?
In a world of thumbs-up emojis and one-way voice memos, are we forgetting how to converse? The Weekly engages in an experiment in listening and genuine two-way chatting.
Farewell, 1936-2024 Maggie T
At Lhe Weekly Maggie labberer was and remains our guiding light the epitome of elegance with a whip-smart intellect, naughty sense of fun and innate kindness. She was a one-off.
MEL SCHILLING Cancer made me look at myself differently
One year on from going public with her bowel cancer diagnosis, Mel Schilling reveals where she's at with her health journey and how it's changed her irrevocably.
