Now and Then

Four women who grew up together return to their hometown as adults, drawn back by a reunion that stirs up memories of the summer of 1970, when they were twelve. In that season the friends shared secrets, dealt with boys and bullies, and made a promise to one another. The film moves between their present-day meeting and the events of that summer, showing how the experiences of those months shaped the people they became.

Now and Then was released in 1995 and marked the feature directing debut of Lesli Linka Glatter, whose next film, The Proposition, followed in 1998. I. Marlene King wrote the screenplay, and Suzanne Todd and Demi Moore produced. The cast pairs younger performers with older ones playing the same characters: Christina Ricci and Rosie O'Donnell as Roberta, Thora Birch and Melanie Griffith as Teeny, and Gaby Hoffmann and Demi Moore as Samantha. The credited cast runs to 36 names.

Made for about 12 million dollars, the film took in roughly 38 million worldwide, a solid return on its budget. On IMDb it holds 6.8 from around 35,000 votes, and on TMDB 6.9 from roughly 489 votes, indicating moderate but consistent audience approval. The critics' rating stands lower, at 5.1 from 22 reviews, so the film was received more warmly by viewers than by reviewers at the time.