A comedian’s jabs are reflective criticism finding shared laughter when on stage, then personally cherished humor as provocative inspiration that uncovers subtextual wisdom. Career-best magnetism in the sharply heartfelt dynamical performances from Billy Crystal and Ben Schwartz at their purest under the influential grasp of defense mechanism towards life’s tackled approach. (B+)

If nothing else it's good to see Billy Crystal back in a movie. I'd never heard of this movie so it was quite surprising that I thought it was very good. A clever new telling of a yet oft told human story.

A very good movie about someone finding themselves with the help of their friends & family, & facing up to the choices they made in life, well written, acted, & directed.

Nice Long Island story. Ben Schwartz keep surprising us with his presence on film. I alwast HATED his character on Parks and Rec. But since then he keeps getting better and better! And of course Billy Crystal was his usualy fantastic self!

"Standing Up, Falling Down" is a buddy drama based on a failed comedians return to his small town home to live temporarily back with his parents. On his return 34 year old Scott ( Ben Schwartz ) befriends twice widowed Marty ( Billy Crystal ) who he meets in a bar toilet. Crystal is excellent as Marty making the character a credible mix of good intentions and bad behaviour.  Marty, despite his own drunken and drug fuelled binges, helps the depressed Scott to pick himself up and find self worth while also imparting worthy nuggets of advise for both Scott and the audience.   "Standing Up , Falling Down" is a slow burn buddy drama that has sprinklings of comedy. Crystal and Schwartz are excellent together and are totally believable as the unlikely friends. As the film reaches its conclusion its clear Marty will never find the solace and forgiveness he craves but his actions and advise have helped Scott. Despite the premise of " Standing Up, Falling Down" being so familiar, it is the performances and writing that rise above the norm and leave a lasting impression on the audience. "Boo Motherfuckers!"

I'm not one who usually goes for the comedy/drama type movies, but I am so glad I sat down and watched this. There cannot be a human being alive that is unable to relate to something in this movie, in a personal way. The acting was spot on, not too much or too little of anything. All the actors, fit just right. There's no hurrying the storyline, it just flows. I found myself relating and reflecting to so much of the story and it was a good feeling. In short, you need to see this. Don't be in a hurry to do anything while you watch it. Take the 90 minutes and let yourself be whoever it is you relate to in this film. The ending tied everything together in a nice comfortable way. Buy it, rent it, download it, whatever. Just watch it.

Really good, both actors did a great job. Some real emotions. I would like to see more from the young guy

Without Billy Cristal it would be an absolutely lousy lame movie which most people would switch off within 10 minutes, but Billy, at age 70 during the shooting, still can carry a whole movie, all by himself. Even a simple grin by him lights up the entire screen. So, though it is not a great movie, it is still a sweet story and a pure delight to see that Billy still hasn't lost any of his energy and boyish silly charm. 6 1/2 points (without Billy it would be a 2).

https://youtu.be/UMqB3817qNU

Uh, fantastic! Billy Crystal is a God! He's always funny! Ben Schwartz is great, too. Please, watch it.

Excellent movie. Great acting. Funny, with a lot of heart and emotion.

Loved it. Billy Crystal at his best.

I have been a fan of stand up comedy since my teens. I was expecting that the focus of this film would be on stand up. It is a minor part but accompanied by a humorous script. At 20 minutes into the film, I was feeling dubious. At the end, I was applauding enthusiastically. The real value in the film is the script and the story which will invade your heart. The stellar cast does not fail to deliver and enhances the quality. I will want to enjoy this film several times in the future.

A realistic, wry, sombre comedy that I loved from start to finish. Fantastic performances by both leads and a comeback for Billy Crystal who I’ve missed dearly on my television screen. A natural, snappy role tailored to his personality. Simple movies like this have been making a comeback with streaming services and I’m pleased to report that this low budget but earnest film really hits the mark.

wow Billy Cristall does a great job in this movie.

Billy Crystal doesn't have to do anything but look at the camera and you see the impish jokester, the sentimental romantic, and the rebellious child. You see all that with just a look, so imagine what you get when you add dialog. If you saw the video of his Broadway show called 700 Sundays, you know what I mean. Billy embodies what writers have called for centuries, "The Human Condition". And as we all know, our condition is alive but iffy. This movie is far from great, but it's better than most out there. We see Crystal's character's 'flawed but likable' persona. We grow to like the guy. Sure, he's noisy, rude, and arrogant, but he has a sweet side. After all, he cares a lot about his new friend. But the real payoff comes at the very end. At Crystal's funeral, his newfound friend extols his virtues. But as his friend leaves the funeral home, he sees Crystal's son. He tells his son that he knows that deep down inside, his father (Crystal) was a good man. Like a punch to the gut, his son says angrily, "No. He wasn't." Three words that shock us. We, the audience expected to see his son finally realize that many people loved his father and he should come around to seeing him in a good light. If the son said to the friend, "I guess he was. I just wish we had gotten to know each other better" it would have ended the movie on a sweet note. But this is where the screenwriter does not flinch and does not give us the feel-good ending we crave. Instead, we see that Crystal was beyond redemption; that he cheated on his wife and left his son, and there can be no silver lining in a cloud like that. And that is what elevates this movie from a 'nice flick' to a tragedy. We have grown to like and even love Crystal during the film. The only crack in the armor was where he tried to make amends with his son and the son will have none of it. Crystal abandoned his family for a fling and his son cannot ever forgive him. And that is how real life would probably be. Hollywood did not cave to the audience desire to walk out feeling that all is well with the world. Instead it did what Billy Crystal did in his special 700 Sundays. it looked at life without rose colored glasses. And we are not surprised to see that it's in black and white.

It's great to see Billy Crystal getting a role to sink his teeth into and he has a fantastic chemistry with the effective Ben Schwartz but the movie uses a lot of formula to pull at your heartstrings. This movie lost steam once it lost the comedic side and became a somber picture. If you're looking for something light, this isn't it.. It's heavy and sad and frankly the third act isn't funny at all. It's worth seeing for the performances of Crystal and Schwartz, but there's nothing ground breaking here! Final Score: 6.3/10

This movie was completely made by the chemistry between billy Chrystal and Ben . Why is billy not still doing a ton of movie ? 3.0

Excellent lockdown matinee fare with the magnificent Billy Crystal bringing some A List sparkle to a lovely indie piece. The prodigal son returns, finds a fun connection in an aging alcoholic, finds his voice again and confidence that the girl next door wasn't the one. This is a strangely comforting and ultimately optimistic film where protagonists die, don't get cliched resolution and have returned to the family bosom though failure rather than desire. Jason Schwartz isn't Dorothy, there is no place like home but if you're there despite doing everything you can not to click your heels, you can find solace, friendship, inspiration and a grounding to dust yourself down and go again. Sofa.

Had to turn it off after 30 minutes. To be fair, I gave it 30 minutes. It just couldn't stand up.