Here Today

THE GIST: Charlie Burnz has had a pretty successful career as a screenwriter, even though now his fame has dimmed considerably. A chance encounter with an aspiring singer sees the birth of an unlikely friendship, one he'll soon have to come to rely on.

Here Today is the brainchild of Billy Crystal, given that he not only starred in, but also wrote and directed it. Crystal's ability as a comedic actor is well known and still in full display, but the script is a bit weak.

His character gets plenty of space to come into focus, but the others not so much. Tiffany Haddish, always super funny, barely has time to show up that her character has to start making some pretty tough choices, straining credibility.

Crystal's family gets even less of a chance to appear as anything more than cardboard cutouts, which is a real pity.

THE BOTTOM LINE: Some laughs are a given with two actors such as these getting top billing, and the topic at the center of the story certainly deserves to be scrutinized, but this movie will very quickly fade from memory.

Grade: 5.5