“The Fabulous Four” suffers from such an identity crisis that it feels like a tale of two movies. The first hour is goofy, lazy, and falls almost completely flat, while the second half redeems itself with a heartfelt sincerity. It’s a sweet story aimed at senior women, and they’re going to love it.

Lou (Susan Sarandon), Kitty (Sheryl Lee Ralph), and Alice (Megan Mullally) have been buddies for a long time. The gang reunites to travel to Key West to be bridesmaids in the surprise wedding of their best college girlfriend, Marilyn (Bette Midler). As with all reunions, some old wounds are opened. But after a few days of laughs, tears, and adventure, even stronger bonds are formed between the women.

The first half of the film is borderline dreadful, breathlessly treading in too-familiar waters. The script is dumbed-down and predictable, with a setup that makes it indistinguishable from many other AARP comedies The humor is hit or miss, leaning heavily on dopey slapstick and over-the-top scenarios and antics that don’t always land. This portion of the film feels incredibly lazy, almost as if director Jocelyn Moorhouse is simply going through the motions, blindfolded, while setting up the real story.

Once the film transitions to its more dramatic elements, it finds its footing. The second half is a heartfelt exploration of friendship, aging, and acceptance, and the themes of rekindling sisterhood and confronting the past are handled with a genuine touch, offering moments of true emotional resonance. This part of the film showcases what could have been if the entire movie maintained this level of quality.

The cast is terrific, and Sarandon stands out with a particularly strong performance. All of these women play well off each other, and they have a natural comedic chemistry. I’ve said it before and will continue to do so, but it is always refreshing to see roles for actors over 60 (particularly females), and all of these women make the most of it. Even better, everyone seems like they want to be here, which isn’t the case with similar films.

Other things to love range from the film’s casual and open acceptance of LGBTQ+ characters to the warm and comforting story of friendship that’s downright irresistible. With the good, of course, comes the bad, like the overt product placement for TikTok and an inexplicably stiff cameo from singer Michael Bolton that is one of the most bizarre appearances in a movie, ever. (He is awkward and unnatural in a way that screams “get me out of here!”).

When it comes to movies about older women, Hollywood still can’t seem to get the recipe just right. In that regard, I guess it’s progress that at least half of “The Fabulous Four” is done well.

By: Louisa Moore / SCREEN ZEALOTS