Of all the movies that deal with the delicate subject of elder care and Alzheimer's diagnoses, this movie, by far realistically portrayed the struggle within the patient. Thanks to the incomparable skill of Walter Matheau. Everything from the tendency of the patient to wander, mistake people for others, fixate on objects that evoke memory, and the acerbic tone that melts into a questioning almost childlike tone when re-acclimated with reality. That, right there, was why I felt compelled to give the film 2 stars. The rest of the movie isn't worth a mention. I cannot believe that Meg Ryan, Diane Keaton, and Lisa Kudrow could not deliver, together, what is directly in their wheelhouse, individually. Meg Ryan, hey, you're in your 50's. Time to stop trying to cash in on the cute, little blonde, girl next door. The scattered character she's trying to portray deserved better. And since we're at it, Diane Keaton, you're not all that either. I know the character called for self obsessed,driven, seemingly heartless wretch that you delivered, expertly. But, your direction was horrible. Lisa Kudrow couldn't shake the Phoebe curse. And, well, enough said. I know it was supposed to be heart-wrenching. It was supposed to be uplifting and empowering. All it was, unfortunately, was really long. The whole mess of the middle eastern physician and his mother, just complete nonsense. The big reveal of "what happened in the house" wasn't anything new. An alcoholic, early onset Alzheimer's behavior. It wasn't endearing us to Eve. It made me wonder why it took so long to get him placed in an ALF. Poorly dealt with, poorly acted (with the exception of Matheau),and incredibly poorly directed. Ambling, disconnected characters in a very long, disjointed film. That, at the end of the day, was really nothing more than a vanity project at the hands of Keaton.

Telemarketer irritation--that's the feeling I had when I watched Hanging Up, an almost cartoonishly clichéd "woman's movie." Diane Keaton's direction of this mess is so incompetent that I hope she never stands behind a camera again. The movie fails on every level--it bored my wife and daughter (and it's only because I'm anal about finishing movies that I sat through 95 minutes of Hell; they went to bed).This was Walter Matthau's last movie, and it hurts to see such a premiere talent being wasted (although his toupee looks as if it could live on). Meg Ryan appears to have lost weight for Hanging Up (if that's possible) and seems to be carrying the mass of the world on her shoulders, physically dissipating in front of our eyes while wearing one paper-thin muscle shirt after another. Looking scrawny and bra-less isn't appealing to anyone.Okay, enough for the nastiness. This really is a waste of film stock. Whatever BIG messages it has about sibling rivalry and familial relationships and keeping your accident from your insurance company are lost in Keaton's attempt to play cute and/or sweet (the dog and the pill; the Iranian mom).The movie's called Hanging Up. My suggestion is to take the phone off the hook before the opening credits.

I can sit through most movies. Even 'B' movies that make you laugh from their sophomoric acting, plots, etc. offer more than this one. However, I could not finish Hanging Up.So unfortunately even if I wanted to I couldn't spoil this one for you. That's right, I don't know how it ends. I don't know if dear ol' dad bought the farm or instead there was a surprise twist where dad walked into a gruesome scene where the three sisters had strangled each other with their phone cords. But even though I was ready to crawl through the TV and strangle them myself, I recognized that sanity was an eject button away.

HANGING UP, in my opinion, is an excellent comedy that will make you laugh, cry, and feel good. Despite the fact that he was a little crazy, I believe that Lou (Walter Matthau) was a funny guy. I especially loved him in the flashback to (Jesse James) fifth birthday party. If you want to know why, you'll have to see the movie for yourself. As far as I can see, due to the usage of the "f" word two or three times, this should have been rated R. Other than that, this was a great film. Seeing Eve (Meg Ryan), Georgia (Diane Keaton), and Maddy (Lisa Kudrow) was very touching. In conclusion, I highly recommend this excellent comedy that will make you laugh, cry, and feel good to any Meg Ryan, Diane Keaton, Lisa Kudrow, or Walter Matthau fan who hasn't seen it. You're in for a smashing good time, so go to the video store, rent it or buy it, kick back with a friend, and watch it.