Lily Tomlin and Jane Fonda are living legends, whose on-screen collaboration dates back to the 1980 classic Nine to Five (which was rumored to be getting a sequel years ago). The dynamic duo starred in one of Netflix’s biggest hit comedies Grace & Frankie, which recently ended after seven seasons. But Tomlin and Fonda have a few upcoming movie projects coming down the line, including the new dark comedy Moving On, which is the perfect elixir for those missing Grace and Frankie.
While their Netflix series might have ended, it’s clear that Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin have no intention of ending their working relationship. I had the pleasure of seeing an early screening of their new movie Moving On at the Toronto International Film Festival, where the two were able to shine in both comedic and dramatic sequences. And there’s definitely a touch of Grace and Frankie in their characters’ relationship.
Moving On is directed and written by Paul Weitz (American Pie, About a Boy), and follows two old friends Claire (Fonda) and Evvie (Tomlin), who reunite for their friend Joyce’s funeral services. But rather than just being about these two women mourning and connecting, Jane Fonda’s character has other plans, telling Joyce’s widower husband (Malcolm McDowell) that she is going to kill him before the end of the weekend. This line set the theater into its first big moment of laughter, and perfectly established the somewhat bonkers tone of this new movie.
Throughout Moving On’s runtime, we watch as Jane Fonda (who recently revealed her Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma diagnosis) and Lily Tomlin’s characters devise vicarious ways they might kill their target, to hilarious results. And in this quest the two are able to truly open up about their history, including dark secrets of their past. And all while consistently providing laughs.
But despite the cooky, murderous plot of Moving On, the movie is also full of truly emotional moments, and killer performances (lol) by the cast. Various serious social issues are tackled in the process, with both Claire and Evvie lamenting about how the “different world” they grew up in ultimately stifled their passions. Subjects like queerness, sexual assault, race, and gender identity are all tackled in a careful, emotional way.
While Lily Tomlin and Jane Fonda aren’t playing the same characters from Grace and Frankie, there is a similarity between how their characters’ interact with each other that might please fans of the long-running Netflix comedy. Tomlin’s Evvie is once again the more wise-cracking and irreverent of the duo, while Fonda’s Claire is more uptight. But their stories are drastically different, especially when it comes to the movie’s more emotional and dramatic sequences. And luckily for fans, they’ve got another movie together coming titled 80 For Brady.
Moving On doesn’t currently have a wide theatrical release date. In the meantime, check out the 2022 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience.
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