Now and Then

Rating: 4/5

An iconic movie for girls who grew up in the 90's, Now and Then is a wonderful story full of friendship and adventure.

In the mid 1990's, four best friends reunite in order to support their friend Chrissy (Rita Wilson) who's about to have a baby. When the group officially gets together, Samantha (Demi Moore) begins to reminisce about the when they were 12 and how it was the greatest time of their lives. In a flashback to the summer of 1970, we are officially introduced to each of the girls.

Roberta (Christina Ricci) is a tom boy who is being raised by her father and three older brothers. Teeny (Thora Birch) dreams of becoming a Hollywood movie star, and Chrissy (Ashleigh Aston Moore) is slightly heavyset and incredibly naive. Lastly is Samantha (Gabby Hoffman), who's dealing the fact that her parents are getting a divorce. All four girls are going through a personal struggle, and are relying on their friends to help them get by. One night, the group decides to hold a seance in a cemetery, and one thing leads to another, and the girls believe they have released the spirit a young boy named Johnny. In order to discover what happened to him, the gang sets out on an mission to search for information on the boy with the tombstone labeled "Dear Johnny".

There's always an instant appeal to nostalgic summer bike riding movies like Now and Then. It echoes back to a simpler time, when the most important things in the world were your friends and finding an adventure to fill the summer. From the clothing of the characters to the faded appearance of the scenes based in 1970, Now and Then is similar to films like Stand By Me, in how it can instantly transport the viewer to the time period in which it is set.

When it comes the four girls who make up the main characters of the film, Now and Then has two sets of actresses for each role. The 1970's versions take up the majority of the film, so they are the ones who carry most of the movie's weight on their shoulders. Of the four younger girls, Christina Ricci's role is the one that shines through the most. Given that this film was not her first, you can see the experience behind Ricci's performance, and it is definitely a main part of what makes Now and Then leave the emotional and lasting impact that it does.

When it comes to a film that is set in a different time period, music is crucial to its' ability to pull the viewers in. The soundtrack to Now and Then is filled with timely songs, and not only does it aid in the film's ability to portray the year 1970, but it also propels the story forward. The girls generally listen to music as they are riding their bikes from one place to another, so whenever you hear a new song, you have a pretty good idea that a new step to their adventure is about to take place. It is this tactic that helps keeps the film interesting and entertaining to watch.

Most movies based in the 60's or 70's that are about a group of friends, are commonly focused on boys, not girls. It is partially for that reason that Now and Then has been such a staple in the collection of movies watched by young girls as they grow up, especially those of us who grew up in the early 90s. Though it was released many years ago, Now and Then still holds up, and is just as enjoyable now as it was then.