An honest and thoroughly fresh portrayal of surrogacy, Together Together is an occasionally funny and progressive film. Ed Helms (as Matt) and Patti Harrison (as Anna) play the mid-40s and mid-20s loners respectively, their connection slowly evolving into something platonic. While the core plot revolves around the pregnancy aspect, the little details we get to know about the duo and their unlikely chemistry make the film engaging. Their relationship is never explored from a sexual angle, which most clichéd rom-coms would (I wouldn't classify this as one!) - Together Together remains a dramedy. Both the leads are wonderful, with the supporting cast ably pitching in. There's a sense of predictable aimlessness in the plot, especially in the final 20 minutes and an ending that feels a bit abrupt. It's still worth a viewing for its funny exchanges, however.
113 Reviews
It's an adorable, awkward film
AfricanBro17 May 2021
It's not necessarily a romcom to begin with. It's clear Anna and Matt have a connection but it doesn't transpire into something romantic, though the bond is there. Two awkward, lonely people who share an unfamiliar connection as a surrogate mother and a single father. The actors made the best out of it, I feel. Many great moments that give you hints of a good movie; each moment feels like it's leading to "that scene" that's going to make you fall in love with the movie but the scene never comes.
Ends with a cliff hanger but not the type you'd bang your head on about "What's next? How could they end it there?". Still a good watch, slightly above average, just that it's forgettable.
Ends with a cliff hanger but not the type you'd bang your head on about "What's next? How could they end it there?". Still a good watch, slightly above average, just that it's forgettable.
After it gets going, a nicely interesting and entertaining movie about a different kind of relationship.
TxMike27 November 2021
The story (written and directed by a woman) is not often (if ever) told in movies, a single man wants to start a family and hires a young woman to be a surrogate. The man is intelligent and successful and 45. The young woman had a speed bump as a teenager and now at 26 she works in a coffee shop in San Francisco. But she is lovely and intelligent and has aspirations to finish her degree.
So the movie is about their nine months, from his selecting her to giving birth. How each handles the novel "relationship" and how they gradually form a great friendship through the process. I can't say enough about Patti Harrison who plays the young woman. I had never heard of her before but she is just perfect in the role. Had it been any other actress the movie would have suffered. Ed Helms is established, he always does a good job.
Anyway my wife and I really enjoyed it, much of the script writing is novel and interesting. We watched it at home on DVD from our public library.
So the movie is about their nine months, from his selecting her to giving birth. How each handles the novel "relationship" and how they gradually form a great friendship through the process. I can't say enough about Patti Harrison who plays the young woman. I had never heard of her before but she is just perfect in the role. Had it been any other actress the movie would have suffered. Ed Helms is established, he always does a good job.
Anyway my wife and I really enjoyed it, much of the script writing is novel and interesting. We watched it at home on DVD from our public library.
Ughhh
gweesha9 July 2022
I really enjoyed this movie. I enjoyed the relationship that transpired between Matt and his surrogate. But the most disappointing thing about this whole movie was the abrupt ending!!! It was not satisfactory at all. I also wanted to know what the sex of the baby was and what he decided to name him/her. Plus I wanted to see more of their connection and what was going to transpire after the baby was born. Very disappointed at the end or lack there of.
Worth a watch
avenuesf1 February 2021
I was able to see this at Sundance Festival 2021's virtual screening.
"Together Together" is about how Matt, a single, middle-aged tech worker in Northern California hires Anna, who is in her twenties, as a surrogate mother to his child. As their relationship progresses and Anna gets closer to delivering their baby, they grow more emotionally dependent on each other. The film examines the boundaries between their relationship, not only as a surrogate mother to the baby's father, but also as they become friends.
This is the kind of movie people often refer to as "cute." It's certainly not a groundbreaking effort that will change your life, but it will provoke some laughs and maybe even cause you to get teary-eyed in a couple of scenes. I thought the film's opening scene with both characters nervously interviewing each other was very funny. Anna's continues to revise her answers to Matt's questions as he scribbles them into a notebook, and he does his best to accommodate her by crossing out many of her responses as she asks him to.
I found Ms. Harrison to be very believable in her role. Her performance turns the role of Anna into someone very real and vulnerable; there's an innocence about her, but also a loneliness, something we learn she and Matt have in common as the film progresses. Ed Helms is also effective in his role, but he plays the role very much like, well, Ed Helms. Except for a scene at the end of the film, the part doesn't really require him to step very far out of his comfort zone. Julio Torres is also very funny as Anna's zoned-out co-worker, as well as Tig Notaro's brief role as a therapist and Sufe Bradshaw as a hospital technician.
"Together Together" won't win any big awards, but I recommend it for what it is: a gentle comedy about the importance of non-romantic relationships, a theme that should be explored more often. The plot is often predictable, but, let's face it, isn't that typical of films like this?
A sidenote: Curiously, this feature was presented as one of Sundance 2021's gay-themed films. The character of Matt is a single, middle-aged man living in San Francisco. During his two or three discussions with Anna when she asks him about his his past relationships, he seems to be deliberately explaining things in a vague way, intentionally leaving out genders. His character clearly struck me as a closeted gay man and I expected an eventual reveal as the film continued. It didn't happen. Instead, the director stated during the Q&A that she had written the part of Matt to be heterosexual. I was left feeling confused why he was written to be so deliberately coy and avoidant when mentioning genders in his past relationships if he was straight. I'm assuming this was categorized as a "gay themed film" due to Ms. Harrison's participation, but she's playing a straight, cisgender woman in her role.
"Together Together" is about how Matt, a single, middle-aged tech worker in Northern California hires Anna, who is in her twenties, as a surrogate mother to his child. As their relationship progresses and Anna gets closer to delivering their baby, they grow more emotionally dependent on each other. The film examines the boundaries between their relationship, not only as a surrogate mother to the baby's father, but also as they become friends.
This is the kind of movie people often refer to as "cute." It's certainly not a groundbreaking effort that will change your life, but it will provoke some laughs and maybe even cause you to get teary-eyed in a couple of scenes. I thought the film's opening scene with both characters nervously interviewing each other was very funny. Anna's continues to revise her answers to Matt's questions as he scribbles them into a notebook, and he does his best to accommodate her by crossing out many of her responses as she asks him to.
I found Ms. Harrison to be very believable in her role. Her performance turns the role of Anna into someone very real and vulnerable; there's an innocence about her, but also a loneliness, something we learn she and Matt have in common as the film progresses. Ed Helms is also effective in his role, but he plays the role very much like, well, Ed Helms. Except for a scene at the end of the film, the part doesn't really require him to step very far out of his comfort zone. Julio Torres is also very funny as Anna's zoned-out co-worker, as well as Tig Notaro's brief role as a therapist and Sufe Bradshaw as a hospital technician.
"Together Together" won't win any big awards, but I recommend it for what it is: a gentle comedy about the importance of non-romantic relationships, a theme that should be explored more often. The plot is often predictable, but, let's face it, isn't that typical of films like this?
A sidenote: Curiously, this feature was presented as one of Sundance 2021's gay-themed films. The character of Matt is a single, middle-aged man living in San Francisco. During his two or three discussions with Anna when she asks him about his his past relationships, he seems to be deliberately explaining things in a vague way, intentionally leaving out genders. His character clearly struck me as a closeted gay man and I expected an eventual reveal as the film continued. It didn't happen. Instead, the director stated during the Q&A that she had written the part of Matt to be heterosexual. I was left feeling confused why he was written to be so deliberately coy and avoidant when mentioning genders in his past relationships if he was straight. I'm assuming this was categorized as a "gay themed film" due to Ms. Harrison's participation, but she's playing a straight, cisgender woman in her role.
Could've been a 8 or 9 except....
davepetri15 January 2022
Warning: Spoilers
A very interesting and heart-warming plot device to explore a friendship and relationship that develops over a year. Matt and Anna are two loners separated by a generation who discover they have much in common as Anna carries Matt's baby. They develop a warm and beautiful friendship but Anna starts to worry it has an expiration date after she delivers the baby. Matt meanwhile focuses on the joys of becoming a new parent not truly understanding Anna's concerns.
Sadly we are all left to wonder what happens next.
Sadly we are all left to wonder what happens next.
Pretty good
Movi3DO3 June 2021
We are together, but not like Together Together, you know.
An interesting drama about the developing relationship between a man and a surrogate mother.
What I liked the most was the dynamic between the two main characters. Ed Helms and Patti Harrison had pretty good chemistry, and I enjoyed their conversations. Another interesting aspect is how the duo dealt with the pregnancy, but not as a couple. There's a lot of weird and awkward moments because of the age gap and how new they were to the situation.
My problem is that during the transition through the phase of the pregnancy, the dynamic between the duo changed drastically for some reason.
Overall, a pretty good drama. 7/10.
An interesting drama about the developing relationship between a man and a surrogate mother.
What I liked the most was the dynamic between the two main characters. Ed Helms and Patti Harrison had pretty good chemistry, and I enjoyed their conversations. Another interesting aspect is how the duo dealt with the pregnancy, but not as a couple. There's a lot of weird and awkward moments because of the age gap and how new they were to the situation.
My problem is that during the transition through the phase of the pregnancy, the dynamic between the duo changed drastically for some reason.
Overall, a pretty good drama. 7/10.
Lovely
cubsfan-428 May 2021
1) This is a comedy but not a belly laugh out loud film.
2) Per usual, Ed Helms does not disappoint.
3) Sometimes we get movies that are sweet and refreshing with endings that leave you wanting more. This is one of those. It's OK to let viewers decide for themselves, in their own hearts and minds, what the ending is.
4) Happy Birthday, Lamp! 🎈
2) Per usual, Ed Helms does not disappoint.
3) Sometimes we get movies that are sweet and refreshing with endings that leave you wanting more. This is one of those. It's OK to let viewers decide for themselves, in their own hearts and minds, what the ending is.
4) Happy Birthday, Lamp! 🎈
Falls short
gbill-7487718 October 2021
Not a bad way to spend 90 minutes, but ultimately felt like a bit of fluff.
Highlights:
Lowlights:
Highlights:
- The window into some of the things a woman goes through during pregnancy.
- The warm feeling I got from the platonic love between the main characters.
- Patti Harrison and Ed Helms, who are both charming in this.
Lowlights:
- The story is quite contrived, and borderline cheesy.
- Very limited character development.
- Most of the humor falls flat.
- The shots at Woody Allen felt cheap.
- The abruptness of the ending seemed like a cop-out, conveniently avoiding the inevitable conflicting emotions of this scenario.
Comedy? Ok.. at times...
papreppergal7 June 2021
Warning: Spoilers
Yes, I did laugh/chuckle a couple times, but what stands out the most was the awful ending! There's no "for sure" ending either way.
I don't want to have to label this a "Spoilers" so suffice to say WTF!! After literally the entire movie led up to what the end of it would be, to leave you hanging, **in my opinion** , I docked 2 points for that.
Why is horrible endings of movies a *new* thing? Another recent new movie that comes to mind is "The Marksman" featuring Niam Neeson.
Finish the plot or don't publish the movie.
I don't want to have to label this a "Spoilers" so suffice to say WTF!! After literally the entire movie led up to what the end of it would be, to leave you hanging, **in my opinion** , I docked 2 points for that.
Why is horrible endings of movies a *new* thing? Another recent new movie that comes to mind is "The Marksman" featuring Niam Neeson.
Finish the plot or don't publish the movie.
Delightful movie; disagree with other reviews about the ending
billbutteriv19 September 2021
Warning: Spoilers
Well-written, well-cast, very sweet. Ed Helms is at his best as a charming (if overbearing) father-to-be, Patti Harrison is somehow both disarmingly awkward and effortlessly cool, and I have to give a special nod to Julio Torres, who is just plain weird and hilarious.
I loved that this movie explored some pretty unique themes for a movie about pregnancy--surrogacy, single fatherhood, and the friendship between the surrogate and the single father. Very fresh take. My only wish is that the film had gone deeper into the two main characters' backgrounds--specifically, Matt's (Ed Helms) unusual decision as a single straight man to become a father on his own, and Anna's (Patti Harrison) relationship with her family and her past.
I must add that, like many others, I didn't particularly like the ending (because it was sad), but I disagree that it left anything open-ended. Anyone who thinks it wasn't a true ending wasn't paying attention. The entire movie is about its own inevitable ending! **Spoiler alert** All of the characters' tortured thoughts and discussions about their friendship and how it must end when the baby is born come to fruition in the final scene. After Anna has given birth, Matt holds her hand and gives her one final gesture of appreciation for carrying his child, and then he turns his attention to the baby. We hear him becoming absorbed with the new life that he is now responsible for and that Anna no longer has anything to do with. Anna is left mourning the loss of the friendship, knowing that Matt has moved on and she must too. The end.
I loved that this movie explored some pretty unique themes for a movie about pregnancy--surrogacy, single fatherhood, and the friendship between the surrogate and the single father. Very fresh take. My only wish is that the film had gone deeper into the two main characters' backgrounds--specifically, Matt's (Ed Helms) unusual decision as a single straight man to become a father on his own, and Anna's (Patti Harrison) relationship with her family and her past.
I must add that, like many others, I didn't particularly like the ending (because it was sad), but I disagree that it left anything open-ended. Anyone who thinks it wasn't a true ending wasn't paying attention. The entire movie is about its own inevitable ending! **Spoiler alert** All of the characters' tortured thoughts and discussions about their friendship and how it must end when the baby is born come to fruition in the final scene. After Anna has given birth, Matt holds her hand and gives her one final gesture of appreciation for carrying his child, and then he turns his attention to the baby. We hear him becoming absorbed with the new life that he is now responsible for and that Anna no longer has anything to do with. Anna is left mourning the loss of the friendship, knowing that Matt has moved on and she must too. The end.
I wanted more from this...
phrozenaphi067 June 2021
Warning: Spoilers
I know it's not terribly feminist to prefer that there had been a romantic storyline built into this movie, but that's exactly what it needed for me to actually care about what happened with these characters. Overall blah... technically sound, but underwritten.
Sweet but significantly underwritten.
peterscarpinato24 April 2021
Warning: Spoilers
Middle aged man wanting to raise a child alone hires a surrogate. The film is about the platonic bond that they develop over 9 months. It's a dialogue heavy film but the writing is sharp and there are several sweet and humorous moments between the two leads.
This could have been a great film if only the writer gave us more. There was so much I wanted to know about the main character. Why is a nice looking middle aged man alone and wanting to raise a child? What is his back story? Is he gay? He shares he was in an 8 year relationship. Did she (or he) not want kids?
How do you not flesh out the characters and then expect the audience to get fully invested in them?
Now thinking about it in retrospect, her story made little sense. She got pregnant in high school and had to give up the child for adoption. So now she decides to put herself through that pain all over again? Why?
Finally, the film ends too abruptly leaving the audience without a satisfying conclusion. I left the theater frustrated. Is there an uncut version out there because I would definitely like to see it.
This could have been a great film if only the writer gave us more. There was so much I wanted to know about the main character. Why is a nice looking middle aged man alone and wanting to raise a child? What is his back story? Is he gay? He shares he was in an 8 year relationship. Did she (or he) not want kids?
How do you not flesh out the characters and then expect the audience to get fully invested in them?
Now thinking about it in retrospect, her story made little sense. She got pregnant in high school and had to give up the child for adoption. So now she decides to put herself through that pain all over again? Why?
Finally, the film ends too abruptly leaving the audience without a satisfying conclusion. I left the theater frustrated. Is there an uncut version out there because I would definitely like to see it.
Sundance 2021: Together Together holds a humorously clever screenplay and two wonderful performances!
msbreviews5 February 2021
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I really like being surprised by actors who usually do comedy taking a serious, dramatic role or simply showing something different from the type of performances we're used to seeing. I love Ed Helms - who doesn't? - but the whole "having a baby" storyline has been tackled so many times that I was a bit scared this would turn out to be a disappointment. Fortunately, Together Together is not only a really creative title that viewers will understand midway through the film but a lovely, fun, charming platonic love story that's also educative about surrogacy.
First of all, Ed Helms proves that he can indeed do anything he puts his mind to. Matt is a genuinely compelling character, as is Anna, and both share exceptional development through Nikole Beckwith's witty screenplay. Packed with an enjoyable lightness and smart humor, Helms and Patti Harrison offer two wonderful displays, but I must praise Beckwith's script again. Every dialogue feels so authentic, honest, and real. I'm not the biggest fan of rom-coms or the formula "two strangers fall in love in the most unexpected way", but Together Together just makes me feel so good about myself.
That's the biggest compliment I can offer this movie: it makes me happy. Despite it still being generic and unsurprising, I was never bored, I didn't roll my eyes I single time, and I laughed out loud quite often. It's one of those films people can go to the theater and leave in a better state of mind than what they entered with. In addition to this, I watched the emotionally overwhelming Mass after lunch, so I needed these consecutive viewings of Marvelous and the Black Hole and Together Together to brighten my day. So, thank you to everyone involved in the latter.
Together Together possesses such a humorously clever screenplay that its joyful, fun aura passes to its own title, which carries more meaning than what it looks like. Ed Helms and Patti Harrison boast sincere chemistry, delivering two charming portrayals of characters who are emotionally worthy of investing in. Nevertheless, Nicole Beckwith deserves all the compliments for her lovely take on such a formulaic topic while educating viewers on surrogacy at the same time. From the genuine, realistic dialogues to the surprisingly efficient humor (I wasn't expecting to laugh as much as I did), I couldn't be happier. I know the ending is purposefully abrupt, but I'm not sure it fully works for me.
Rating: B+
I really like being surprised by actors who usually do comedy taking a serious, dramatic role or simply showing something different from the type of performances we're used to seeing. I love Ed Helms - who doesn't? - but the whole "having a baby" storyline has been tackled so many times that I was a bit scared this would turn out to be a disappointment. Fortunately, Together Together is not only a really creative title that viewers will understand midway through the film but a lovely, fun, charming platonic love story that's also educative about surrogacy.
First of all, Ed Helms proves that he can indeed do anything he puts his mind to. Matt is a genuinely compelling character, as is Anna, and both share exceptional development through Nikole Beckwith's witty screenplay. Packed with an enjoyable lightness and smart humor, Helms and Patti Harrison offer two wonderful displays, but I must praise Beckwith's script again. Every dialogue feels so authentic, honest, and real. I'm not the biggest fan of rom-coms or the formula "two strangers fall in love in the most unexpected way", but Together Together just makes me feel so good about myself.
That's the biggest compliment I can offer this movie: it makes me happy. Despite it still being generic and unsurprising, I was never bored, I didn't roll my eyes I single time, and I laughed out loud quite often. It's one of those films people can go to the theater and leave in a better state of mind than what they entered with. In addition to this, I watched the emotionally overwhelming Mass after lunch, so I needed these consecutive viewings of Marvelous and the Black Hole and Together Together to brighten my day. So, thank you to everyone involved in the latter.
Together Together possesses such a humorously clever screenplay that its joyful, fun aura passes to its own title, which carries more meaning than what it looks like. Ed Helms and Patti Harrison boast sincere chemistry, delivering two charming portrayals of characters who are emotionally worthy of investing in. Nevertheless, Nicole Beckwith deserves all the compliments for her lovely take on such a formulaic topic while educating viewers on surrogacy at the same time. From the genuine, realistic dialogues to the surprisingly efficient humor (I wasn't expecting to laugh as much as I did), I couldn't be happier. I know the ending is purposefully abrupt, but I'm not sure it fully works for me.
Rating: B+
A movie that had great potential... but failed to realize it towards the end
andrewpalustre1 May 2021
Warning: Spoilers
Brief summary: Matt is a straight single dude, striving to form a family of his own with a child and he quickly finds that opportunity to be granted when meeting the introverted, but charming Anna to be his surrogate. The two form an unlikely bond with each other despite having been estranged a bit in the beginning, but it all builds up many of the heartwarming moments they have within the film. Sounds peachy right?
Ok now, here's the deal: The movie was fantastic with its sentimental moments and corny cutesy jokes from our beloved leads... Up until the end!!! I have so many questions about what direction the writer/director Nikole Beckwith wanted to take with this movie after watching that unfulfilling ending. I mean, I stayed to see if there was any post credit scenes (which I usually don't) to fill in the gaps and just poof! Nothing. Only a brief post credit interview that some big movie theater proprietor and the two leads had along with the director, but still no questions were geared towards that ending.
Other than that, I did enjoy the movie for the most part (except that cliffhanger of an ending), but just like a previous review mentioned on here: If there's an uncut version of the film, I would definitely love to watch it because I think the audience at least in my humble opinion could use some answers.
Ok now, here's the deal: The movie was fantastic with its sentimental moments and corny cutesy jokes from our beloved leads... Up until the end!!! I have so many questions about what direction the writer/director Nikole Beckwith wanted to take with this movie after watching that unfulfilling ending. I mean, I stayed to see if there was any post credit scenes (which I usually don't) to fill in the gaps and just poof! Nothing. Only a brief post credit interview that some big movie theater proprietor and the two leads had along with the director, but still no questions were geared towards that ending.
Other than that, I did enjoy the movie for the most part (except that cliffhanger of an ending), but just like a previous review mentioned on here: If there's an uncut version of the film, I would definitely love to watch it because I think the audience at least in my humble opinion could use some answers.
Many Great Parts That Do Not Quite Add Up To A Great Whole
sme324 April 2021
Every performance in TOGETHER TOGETHER is outstanding, and amidst such an excellent cast, Patti Harrison's performance still manages to outshine the others. The film is filled with many delightful scenes and moments. It has enough scenes that go nowhere or are presented too unconventionally to really work well that the film does not consistently engage. This thoughtful film is never dull, but it does have brief moments of disinterest. At least on the big screen, the make up on the actors is distractingly obvious.
Quirky chemistry and delicious awkward moments
trinaboice18 May 2021
IN A NUTSHELL:
Written and directed by Nikole Beckwith, this dramedy is about a loner who becomes the gestational surrogate for a single man in his 40s. As strangers, they come to realize their unexpected relationship will challenge their perceptions of connection, boundaries, and love. The popular film first showed at the Sundance Film Festival and garnered instant praise.
THINGS I LIKED: Everyone fell in love with Ed Helms when we first saw him on The Office: The Complete Series. He plays his typical hapless man-child character, which many people find endearing. If you don't like him, don't watch this movie. There's a very sweet monologue by Ed Helms about why he wants to have a baby as a single man. His character developed an app called "Loner." Both of the characters are loners who learn how to navigate an unexpected friendship. One of my sons also invented a dating app! It's called Mutual and is doing great! Ed Helms and Patti Harrison have good, awkward chemistry together.
I've never seen Patti Harrison perform in anything before. She's really fantastic and I can't wait to see what else she can do.
Julio Torres is hilarious and has some of the funniest lines in the movie.
Comedian Tig Notaro has been popping up in a lot of movies lately. I'm always surprised when Tig's characters are serious!
I've seen how parents will mark a wall to illustrate how tall their child has grown, but I hadn't seen the idea before of having a pregnant woman lie flat on the floor and marking how high her belly gets during the 9 months! Cute idea!
I appreciated the fact that the movie illustrates how long and painful childbirth can be. I delivered 4 babies and can tell you it wasn't easy! Totally worth it though, of course! The expressions on Ed Helms' face and Patti Harrison's face were priceless at the moment the baby was born. The feels!
Lovely music.
Did you notice that the opening font of the movie is the same as what you see in Woody Allen films?
I love seeing Nora Dunn but thought her character was super annoying and insensitive. I just cringed whenever she walked into the room. There's a strong message from the director there. Message received.
If you're a fan of the popular TV show Friends, you'll get a kick out of some of their conversations about that show.
THINGS I DIDN'T LIKE: So many painful, awkward, uncomfortable moments! The comedic tone is very flat. It's intentional but not a style people are used to.
We don't get a lot of backstory on the leading man.
I thought there would be more lines using the expression "Together Together" to describe what their relationship was or wasn't.
There are some jabs at Costco. C'mon! I love Costco!
The movie ends so abruptly. I wanted it to keep going to experience the big payoff.
Patti Harrison's makeup was a bit distracting when you could see the line of foundation on her neck.
Some of the decisions that Matt has to make, like choosing paint color in the baby's bedroom, illustrate how completely ill-equipped he is to have a baby. There's not much discussion about whether or not he should be having a baby, just that he is.
It was kind of creepy that Ed Helm's character wanted to pretend to breastfeed with that special nursing vest. Still, it showed he was all in!
TIPS FOR PARENTS: Lots of talk of sex A male character demonstrates how to use a tampon with visual aids Kids will be very bored.
l!
THINGS I LIKED: Everyone fell in love with Ed Helms when we first saw him on The Office: The Complete Series. He plays his typical hapless man-child character, which many people find endearing. If you don't like him, don't watch this movie. There's a very sweet monologue by Ed Helms about why he wants to have a baby as a single man. His character developed an app called "Loner." Both of the characters are loners who learn how to navigate an unexpected friendship. One of my sons also invented a dating app! It's called Mutual and is doing great! Ed Helms and Patti Harrison have good, awkward chemistry together.
I've never seen Patti Harrison perform in anything before. She's really fantastic and I can't wait to see what else she can do.
Julio Torres is hilarious and has some of the funniest lines in the movie.
Comedian Tig Notaro has been popping up in a lot of movies lately. I'm always surprised when Tig's characters are serious!
I've seen how parents will mark a wall to illustrate how tall their child has grown, but I hadn't seen the idea before of having a pregnant woman lie flat on the floor and marking how high her belly gets during the 9 months! Cute idea!
I appreciated the fact that the movie illustrates how long and painful childbirth can be. I delivered 4 babies and can tell you it wasn't easy! Totally worth it though, of course! The expressions on Ed Helms' face and Patti Harrison's face were priceless at the moment the baby was born. The feels!
Lovely music.
Did you notice that the opening font of the movie is the same as what you see in Woody Allen films?
I love seeing Nora Dunn but thought her character was super annoying and insensitive. I just cringed whenever she walked into the room. There's a strong message from the director there. Message received.
If you're a fan of the popular TV show Friends, you'll get a kick out of some of their conversations about that show.
THINGS I DIDN'T LIKE: So many painful, awkward, uncomfortable moments! The comedic tone is very flat. It's intentional but not a style people are used to.
We don't get a lot of backstory on the leading man.
I thought there would be more lines using the expression "Together Together" to describe what their relationship was or wasn't.
There are some jabs at Costco. C'mon! I love Costco!
The movie ends so abruptly. I wanted it to keep going to experience the big payoff.
Patti Harrison's makeup was a bit distracting when you could see the line of foundation on her neck.
Some of the decisions that Matt has to make, like choosing paint color in the baby's bedroom, illustrate how completely ill-equipped he is to have a baby. There's not much discussion about whether or not he should be having a baby, just that he is.
It was kind of creepy that Ed Helm's character wanted to pretend to breastfeed with that special nursing vest. Still, it showed he was all in!
TIPS FOR PARENTS: Lots of talk of sex A male character demonstrates how to use a tampon with visual aids Kids will be very bored.
l!
A Charming Surprise
benson-rudnick20 November 2021
Nikole Beckwith created a wonderful and charming film. Together Together is filled with so much emotion, laughter, and awkwardness. Beckwith's script is great. It's hilarious and never afraid to show the awkwardness in her characters and the situation they are in. You can imagine how awkward this situation would be.
Patti Harrison gives a star making performance. She's funny, heartbreaking, and subtle. She hits every note in the film. Was also really surprised by Ed Helms in the film. He too is great. While he is still somewhat doing his Andy from The Office, he shows an emotional range I didn't know he had. It's a career best performance for Helms.
I really loved this film. It just made me feel great. I enjoyed watching it from start to finish. Nikole Beckwith is brilliant and I can't wait to see what she does next.
Patti Harrison gives a star making performance. She's funny, heartbreaking, and subtle. She hits every note in the film. Was also really surprised by Ed Helms in the film. He too is great. While he is still somewhat doing his Andy from The Office, he shows an emotional range I didn't know he had. It's a career best performance for Helms.
I really loved this film. It just made me feel great. I enjoyed watching it from start to finish. Nikole Beckwith is brilliant and I can't wait to see what she does next.
Oh - that ending !!! I wanted more !
Lew77714 November 2022
I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed the film, even though it meandered awkwardly through a surrogate's pregnancy to a 45 yr old Ed Helms . Definitely not your usual rom-com, but did have some comic moments popping up throughout. Patti Harrison was excellent as the 26 yr old surrogate with a chequered past and their relationship was good to see evolve even though not romantically. What killed me was the abrupt ending which left it all hanging with more questions than answers ! Could have spent another 15 mins exploring that area further. However , all in all, the film was pretty good.
Stories transcend everything
Genti2626 May 2021
It's hard to put emotion into words sometimes, and this movie made it even harder for me. Just brilliant all throughout. It's fascinating how stories can make us feel like we're going through scenarios that we may have never been or might never go through personally. I hard tears by the end.
Amazing directing, dialogue and especially terrific acting. Patti Harrison has my heart now.
Amazing directing, dialogue and especially terrific acting. Patti Harrison has my heart now.
I like this Lamp, too
Quinoa198429 April 2021
Warning: Spoilers
This took a little while to get fully formed for me into a satisfying experience, largely because for about the first half hour or so (or sorry just before we get to 'second trimester') Ed Helms as Matt is doing an awkward character shtick where he says lots of things ala like an Office character (not his or even Michael Scott's, but in that ballpark), blurring out inappropriate or Oh No Dude bits to this lovely young woman carrying his child, via a charming and amusing and yet sad performance from Patti Harrison as Anna. It's like Beckwith is finding her footing with writing for this man who isn't fully sure about who he is around people - as if to hit the nail so far on the head that it comes out the other side we find out his dough comes from an app called "Loner" - and the acting is all real while the dialog is trying to be funny and Helms is too and it just isn't there.
And then these two souls, lo and behold, sit down and have a conversation and it isn't so much that it goes into high drama as we just get interesting character development not only through what is said but what isn't, and how Helms and Harrison find little beats in between their lines that can get us completely invested in them from then on. What's revealed doesn't mean we should expect that they'll wind up together, though I might lean that way if it wasn't made more on the independent route (I know the first note from a studio would be about the Woody Allen font for the credits, what must itself be a self conscious irony given a dialog exchange about his films at one point and how this will inevitably be compared by some short sighted film critoc, but I digress), but it does mean that we can understand then deeply as people who are not lonely but comfortable, or at least that's what they can tell themselves in the moment, with being alone, which is a different thing.
For the rest of the movie then on, I got more absorbed into the emotional wavelength Beckwith was presenting as far as Matt and together and how they just become friends and is about forming an intimacy that naturally unfolds because of the actors finding nuances and little details to play in every scene (and as Harrison plays up the mounting hormones, which aren't just that) and the care in building them up as people in the script. It helps that there aren't any giant contrivance points along the way or like this or that misunderstanding that blows up all over, instead these are filled with Life's Little Moments, and how a connection is formed through Matt's sincerity and Anna's vulnerability.
One should point out some exceptions to breaking up this flow - I can once again hear Patton Oswalt from his bit shouting GAY BEST FRIEEEEND on movies (Rom Coms notoriously) with that trope and good lord this one has a doozy, and it wouldn't even be a problem if he were funny, but the actor doesn't transcend the weak writing for the character - and that Matt's mom (Nora Dunn!) and some of the friends at that one party scene are overbearing to an extent you only get in little Dramedies like these to momentarily up some stakes (think like, say, much more low stakes Shiva Baby in that one scene, or maybe that's just me).
On the other hand, there is this sense underlying much of the film that perhaps Beckwith is also playfully but unmistakably satirizing people who take their lives and how they go about the process of getting to delivery unmistakably in San Francisco, and that helps to ground Matt and Anna as basically good people trying to navigate a world that takes itself at times very seriously. Maybe, ultimately, we all just need someone we can watch a 90s sitcom with and can help pick out a color for a wall without so much pretention. And again, it comes down to believing these two people, separate and together, and I do. It's not great and only ok as a comedy, but as a low-key but powerful drama it's terrific.
And then these two souls, lo and behold, sit down and have a conversation and it isn't so much that it goes into high drama as we just get interesting character development not only through what is said but what isn't, and how Helms and Harrison find little beats in between their lines that can get us completely invested in them from then on. What's revealed doesn't mean we should expect that they'll wind up together, though I might lean that way if it wasn't made more on the independent route (I know the first note from a studio would be about the Woody Allen font for the credits, what must itself be a self conscious irony given a dialog exchange about his films at one point and how this will inevitably be compared by some short sighted film critoc, but I digress), but it does mean that we can understand then deeply as people who are not lonely but comfortable, or at least that's what they can tell themselves in the moment, with being alone, which is a different thing.
For the rest of the movie then on, I got more absorbed into the emotional wavelength Beckwith was presenting as far as Matt and together and how they just become friends and is about forming an intimacy that naturally unfolds because of the actors finding nuances and little details to play in every scene (and as Harrison plays up the mounting hormones, which aren't just that) and the care in building them up as people in the script. It helps that there aren't any giant contrivance points along the way or like this or that misunderstanding that blows up all over, instead these are filled with Life's Little Moments, and how a connection is formed through Matt's sincerity and Anna's vulnerability.
One should point out some exceptions to breaking up this flow - I can once again hear Patton Oswalt from his bit shouting GAY BEST FRIEEEEND on movies (Rom Coms notoriously) with that trope and good lord this one has a doozy, and it wouldn't even be a problem if he were funny, but the actor doesn't transcend the weak writing for the character - and that Matt's mom (Nora Dunn!) and some of the friends at that one party scene are overbearing to an extent you only get in little Dramedies like these to momentarily up some stakes (think like, say, much more low stakes Shiva Baby in that one scene, or maybe that's just me).
On the other hand, there is this sense underlying much of the film that perhaps Beckwith is also playfully but unmistakably satirizing people who take their lives and how they go about the process of getting to delivery unmistakably in San Francisco, and that helps to ground Matt and Anna as basically good people trying to navigate a world that takes itself at times very seriously. Maybe, ultimately, we all just need someone we can watch a 90s sitcom with and can help pick out a color for a wall without so much pretention. And again, it comes down to believing these two people, separate and together, and I do. It's not great and only ok as a comedy, but as a low-key but powerful drama it's terrific.
Where's the rest of it?
zcwfbbtc26 December 2022
The movie overall was really good and got going straight away unlike most movies. Me and my family were placing bets on how it would end. None of us were expecting it to just stop at the birth!
It's like half the movie is missing. I was expecting them to move in together and raise the child or at least have the surrogate be an aunt to the child.
I would quite like to know how this was authorised, I don't believe that of all the people a movie has to go through to be made that nobody mentioned that it has no ending!
And here's some nonsense to meet the character limit: dururhhrieien beisiejenej.
It's like half the movie is missing. I was expecting them to move in together and raise the child or at least have the surrogate be an aunt to the child.
I would quite like to know how this was authorised, I don't believe that of all the people a movie has to go through to be made that nobody mentioned that it has no ending!
And here's some nonsense to meet the character limit: dururhhrieien beisiejenej.
happy ending ??
hydrox312 May 2021
This movie was almost perfect, the ending was pretty weird though.
I mean the entire movie was awesome, their two zodiacal signs were matching perfectly, but as soon I was hoping for something more, the cast presentation started to appear... I was hoping for more hugs or at least a French kiss perhaps.
This movie made me sigh :)
I mean the entire movie was awesome, their two zodiacal signs were matching perfectly, but as soon I was hoping for something more, the cast presentation started to appear... I was hoping for more hugs or at least a French kiss perhaps.
This movie made me sigh :)
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