Having middlebrow expectations for a film like this is something that is honestly very important to keep in mind and I'm glad that I did because if they were any higher, I would have been disappointed. Thankfully, Matt Ratner's Standing Up, Falling Down lived up to everything that I thought it would be while I enjoyed myself every step of the way. From the performances to the cute story to the predictable but nevertheless emotional plot points, this little film is one that I'm glad I ended up finding time to check out. I may never have experienced any profound impact from its story nor will I honestly remember much of what happened throughout the film but I am happy regardless knowing that I spent 90 minutes very well. And of course, anything that Ben Schwartz stars in, I will happily support because that man's career is one of the most interesting things to me and I love being able to see him thrive in different areas.
Standup comedian Scott (Ben Schwartz) moves back in with his parents after not being able to sustain a career in Los Angeles. It's back home where he meets Marty (Billy Crystal), a dermatologist who is a bit more off-the-rails than one might think. While the two of them strike up an unlikely friendship, they also bond over their successes and failures as both people and to the family around them. This script, written by Peter Hoare, is very very solid and I really enjoyed every little decision that he made. The plot beats might be a bit expected and hit on the emotions that anyone could expect about a friendship-based story like this one but Hoare does it very well. I really liked the distinct personalities that he gives to Scott and Marty and these two characters are able to play off of each other very well. Writing Scott as the younger but somehow more put-together character in the relationship between him and Marty was an interesting choice and while Scott was never too great on his own feet, the things that the characters learned from each other were just saccharine. Both Scott and Marty were such genuine characters and really felt a lot like people we all know, whether it be the person with the failed entertainment career, awkward drunk, or anything else. There was never anything outwardly wrong with the story Hoare writes but a good handful of the subplots were never fully explored. Standing Up, Falling Down ends on a sweet note but leaves a lot of small questions about the characters unanswered. This film also brings up plot points incredibly quick without any prior explanation. These are my only little gripes with the movie, as it could have used more logical reasoning but it still worked overall. Ratner's direction is honestly nothing too extraordinary but he makes it clear that he is able to handle this story in such a short and sweet way that I, for one, could never complain about. Honestly, all movies should be 90 minutes or less and if there's one thing that this film does right, it's that it never tries to be more than it needs to.
The performances from Ben Schwartz and Billy Crystal are really what liven up this film and elevate to a whole other level of watchability. The story itself is great and I could relate so much to a lot of the feelings felt by these main characters but those feelings were made even greater by these two actors. Crystal was expectedly great and practically brings a light to every movie that he is in with his energy and charisma. He is also able to really lock down the dramatic side of his character while embodying the struggles of an older man left to deal with the life he wrecked. As good as Crystal is in this film, I was really taken aback by Schwartz. He has been one of my favorite comedians and artists since his days on Parks and Recreation and I have continued to follow his career with awe because of how diverse his work seems to be. While he typically ventures more on the comedic side of storytelling, it is just wonderful to be able to see him flex the rest of his talents. In fact, I don't think I've seen much dramatic work from him before but Standing Up, Falling Down was really such a grand exhibition of the rest of his talents. Schwartz is so much more capable than I previously believed of spearheading a film in a lead role and this movie just goes to show how great he is in all kinds of genres of storytelling. I also liked how surprisingly brash this movie was with its use of humor. Perhaps that comes from these two leads being masters in their humorous fields but the comedy throughout this movie was actually downright funny. Combining Schwartz's obvious love of classic, cultural nostalgia (I am wholeheartedly convinced that the Howard the Duck gag was his idea) with Crystal's classic, comedy tropes prove to be such a great pairing and one that I never would have predicted could have worked so well.
Standing Up, Falling Down is one of 2020's littlest surprises yet one that I still found myself enjoying from start to finish. Schwartz and Crystal are just magic together and I could have watched them get high and talk about their crumbling lives for hours on end. I genuinely enjoyed this movie more than I should probably give it credit for but if there's one thing I like doing, it's supporting independent filmmakers. It's so nice having one of these little movies that are practically impossible to not enjoy and having the added bonus of the cast and writing is just a delightful thing.
My Rating: ★★★½
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