The Best You Can Review: Kevin Bacon And Kyra Sedgwick Reunite In Charming Yet Flawed Rom-Com

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Kevin Bacon and Kyra Sedgwick are one of Hollywood’s longest-lasting couples, married for almost 40 years and parents to two children, including actress Sosie Bacon, who recently gained attention in Smile. Despite their long relationship, they’ve only appeared in a few projects together, starting with the PBS adaptation of Lemon Sky when they first met, and most recently in the 2004 films The Woodsman and Cavedweller.

After more than two decades, Kevin Bacon and Kyra Sedgwick are reunited on screen in The Best You Can, but the film doesn’t quite live up to expectations. While the romantic comedy tries a fresh take on familiar tropes with its older lead characters and features some genuinely heartwarming scenes, the story feels somewhat disjointed and lacks focus.

Charming Characters & Arcs Are Downed In A Tonally Inconsistent Plot

Michael J. Weithorn, the creator of the popular sitcom The King of Queens, brings us Best You Can. The show stars Mary McDonnell as Cynthia Rand, a New York City urologist whose life is turned upside down when her husband, Warren (played by Judd Hirsch), begins to experience cognitive decline. Warren is thirty years her senior, and his condition forces Cynthia to re-evaluate their entire marriage.

The situation gets trickier when someone breaks into their home, and she starts connecting with Stan Olszewski, a former police officer now working in private security. They form a close bond through heartfelt text messages. Meanwhile, Stan is struggling with doubts about whether he’s living up to his past achievements and is also trying to help his daughter overcome her own insecurities as she pursues a career in music.

It’s been a while – over a decade, actually – since Mark Weithorn last directed a film, and with The Best You Can, I think he bit off a little more than he could chew. The story has a lot going on – a developing romance, a wife trying to support her husband, and a father with big dreams for his daughter – and honestly, all those threads didn’t quite feel connected. He seemed to be aiming for a lot of different moods and styles, but it ended up feeling a bit disjointed, like they weren’t all working together to tell a cohesive story.

The movie uses a mix of voiceover from the actors and on-screen text to show the natural, funny connection between Cynthia and Stan. It also quickly explains their history, giving viewers the context they need to understand their choices throughout the 103-minute film.

The movie struggles when it moves away from the central couple. Interactions between Stan and his daughter, played by Brittany O’Grady, often feel forced and overly dramatic. Similarly, Cynthia’s attempts to cope with Warren’s declining health and his demanding family don’t quite manage to balance humor and empathy effectively.

The film’s disjointed feel is further highlighted by the direction itself. While trying to create both energetic and sophisticated scenes, The Best You Can uses a visually uneven style. It mixes close-up, handheld camera work – which effectively enhances emotional impact – with overly polished shots that clash with the film’s realistic tone.

Despite its flaws, the movie has several strengths. The chemistry between Bacon and Sedgwick is charming, making their characters, Cynthia and Stan, enjoyable to watch. O’Grady also delivers a strong performance as Sammi whenever she’s on screen. However, Sedgwick’s performance occasionally feels exaggerated when she’s acting alone, and some scenes become overly focused on her character’s relentless questioning.

What truly stands out is how the film portrays Warren’s worsening condition. The filmmakers avoid portraying him as a caricature or with disrespect, instead offering a nuanced and sensitive depiction. They balance gentle humor with moments that showcase his continued intelligence and awareness – beautifully conveyed through Meera Rohit Kumbhani’s performance as Pramila Mahesh – making the film’s powerful conclusion even more impactful.

Overall, “The Best You Can” left me with mixed feelings. While the story has important messages, its fast pace and crowded plot sometimes get in the way, especially at the end. However, the film features some genuinely sweet moments and strong performances, particularly from Kevin Bacon and Kyra Sedgwick, making it almost worth watching – but not quite essential.

The Best You Can begins streaming on Netflix on December 25.

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2025-12-22 17:10