Here and Now

Parker uses this drama as an opportunity to stretch and shine, proving she has substantial acting chops beyond the romcom corner she's been relegated to for most of her career. Here and Now takes place in the city closely associated with Parker -- Manhattan -- but Carrie Bradshaw is nowhere to be found. Instead, Parker transforms into Vivienne Carala, a jazz singer who's about to embark on a world tour (a reminder that Parker, whose career started in Annie on Broadway, is a strong singer) when she learns she has no more than 14 months to live. The script gives Parker quite a bit to work with, since much of Vivienne's experience is dealt with internally. And as Vivienne's ex-husband, Nick, Simon Baker breathes life into all of his scenes.

But while the subject matter -- impending death -- should be pretty emotional stuff, it doesn't translate that way for the audience. It's a dirge. Part of that is Parker's choice to play Vivienne with a stiff upper lip, but it's also due to the choices of first-time feature director Lucien Constant, who's best known for his fashion documentaries. As you might expect from an auteur whose typical subjects are expensive clothes and supermodels, the camera captures beauty everywhere: in the lighting, the shots of New York, and the concern in Vivienne's eyes. But Constant lets Parker down in how he captures her performance; it's just not as impactful as it should be. While Vivienne has a 16-year-old daughter (Gus Birney), a middle-aged woman contending with her own mortality isn't the stuff that will appeal to teens.