Python Hyena Hanging Up (2000): Dir: Diane Keaton / Cast: Meg Ryan, Diane Keaton, Lisa Kudrow, Walter Matthou, Adam Arkin: Comedy about communication where three sisters contact mainly by phone. Oldest sister Diane Keaton is too busy working on her own magazine. Youngest sister Lisa Kudrow stars in a failing soap opera. Meg Ryan plays middle sister who is left to care for their senile father. Ryan is married and has a son but she also has a bad driving record. Her conversation with her husband about her third driving mishap is an unnecessary subplot. Keaton does a fine job directing despite the limitations in production and obvious conclusion. What does work for her is the casting of three effective leads including herself. Ryan is sympathetic as a woman who cares for her father yet is exhausted from the stress of her own lifestyle. Keaton is effective as a high profile business woman whose public relations career keep her from confronting real issues. Most of her scenes are through phone conversations with a frustrated Ryan. Kudrow is seen briefer but effective. Walter Matthou is given the funniest lines as their father whose fate is obvious, but he steals his moments. Other roles are cardboard and more or less support the leads and do nothing for the formula driven screenplay. It is a comedy about communication and relationships for father / daughters. Others may wish to hang up on it. Score: 4 ½ / 10

bkoganbing Hanging Up should be always referenced when someone says they don't write good roles for women any more. I haven't seen so many of them since Steel Magnolias. This film which was Walter Matthau's farewell performance has got three great ones among the roles of Matthau's estranged daughters.Diane Keaton, Meg Ryan, and Lisa Kudrow who represent three half generations of players are Matthau's daughters. And what impressed me most about them is that they are survivors if a bit self absorbed at times. They have to have been hardy souls to have survived the household they were raised in. There are some people who are lovable curmudgeons, Walter Matthau's played a few on the screen himself. But this guy, former screenwriter now both retired and semi senile isn't one of them. He's also quite the alcoholic as is shown in one memorable birthday party and Meg Ryan's house with husband Adam Arkin giving him marching orders never to show up there again. The title refers to Matthau in his dotage constantly calling them up to bother them about nonsense and the daughters patiently and sometimes not so patiently hanging up on him. Especially middle daughter Ryan who the burden of care provider fell on and she resents it.All the women are successful in their own way, Keaton is a publisher of a magazine, Ryan is a party planner and the only married one, and Kudrow is an aspiring actress who just landed a gig on a soap opera. They're not truly involved with each other, my guess is they all learned to cope independently with crazy dad. Now you ask where was mom? Mom is played by Cloris Leachman who put up with Matthau for way too long and one day just walked out. The problem is that she walked out on her daughters as well. Life was not kind to these women. And Cloris took all the wrong lessons as well from Matthau, she's more self absorbed than any of the others.Hanging Up doesn't have much of a story line, but the creation of these character is great. Especially's Ryan's character who has the most screen time. And Matthau who was dying himself at the time was nothing short of fabulous.

long-ford This film should have been a lot better. It remains watchable but some parts are painful. I found Diane Keaton and Lisa Kudrow's characters completely shallow and annoying. In fact, they almost gave me a headache. Actually every character in the film is a stereotype. Luckily, Meg Ryan is decent and holds the film together. Walter Matthau is alright as the crotchety dad. Some of his scenes are more drama than comedy and could have been toned down. The film is watchable but definitely not worth a trip to the theater. See it if you are bored with nothing else to do.Overall 4/10

Catherine_Grace_Zeh HANGING UP, in my opinion, is an excellent comedy that will make you laugh, cry, and feel good. Despite the fact that he was a little crazy, I believe that Lou (Walter Matthau) was a funny guy. I especially loved him in the flashback to (Jesse James) fifth birthday party. If you want to know why, you'll have to see the movie for yourself. As far as I can see, due to the usage of the "f" word two or three times, this should have been rated R. Other than that, this was a great film. Seeing Eve (Meg Ryan), Georgia (Diane Keaton), and Maddy (Lisa Kudrow) was very touching. In conclusion, I highly recommend this excellent comedy that will make you laugh, cry, and feel good to any Meg Ryan, Diane Keaton, Lisa Kudrow, or Walter Matthau fan who hasn't seen it. You're in for a smashing good time, so go to the video store, rent it or buy it, kick back with a friend, and watch it.