Ultimately pleasant if slight, “Standing Up, Falling Down” arrives at that modest impact despite the fact that the major characters here insist on behaving in ways that are meant to be funny, but too often land more in the “obnoxious” zone.
This seriocomedy, with Ben Schwartz as a failed comedian and Billy Crystal as a wacky dermatologist he befriends, is actually stronger in its middleweight dramatic departments than it is in convincing us that these newly-met buddies are really good-hearted charmers — as opposed to tactless misanthropes who’ve quite understandably alienated most of those around them.A different movie might have actually explored that second, rather bleak reality.
But “Standing Up” wants to be cute and heartwarming.
That it eventually succeeds, more or less, pays testament to producer turned first-time feature helmer Matt Ratner’s adept handling, and a cast that does their considerable best with iffy material.
The screenplay
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