Kevin Bacon and Kyra Sedgwick light up Netflix screens in The Best You Can, their first joint project since 2004 films like Cavedweller and The Woodsman.
The story kicks off when security guard Stan Olszewski, played by Bacon, stops a break-in at the Brooklyn brownstone of urologist Cynthia Rand, portrayed by Sedgwick.
What starts as a quick thank-you consult for Stan’s prostate woes blossoms into late-night texts filled with witty banter and shared gripes about younger generations. Their chats reference forgotten gems like The Patty Duke Show, adding nostalgic flavor that resonates with viewers craving authentic connections amid modern isolation.
Supporting players amplify the charm. Judd Hirsch shines as Cynthia’s husband, Warren, a fading Watergate prosecutor grappling with dementia, bringing gravitas to scenes of quiet denial and family strain.
Brittany O’Grady adds edge as Stan’s estranged daughter Sammi, chasing a music career, while Olivia Luccardi steals moments as CJ, Stan’s casual young fling from the local bodega. Ray Romano and Victor Williams round out the ensemble with dry humor that keeps the pace lively.
Critics note the film’s strength lies in this casting magic. Reviews praise how Bacon’s rugged everyman vibe pairs perfectly with Sedgwick’s poised intensity, turning routine dialogue into electric exchanges.
One outlet highlighted their ability to juggle playful flirtation and raw vulnerability, making the central friendship feel lived-in rather than scripted.
Audience reactions echo this, with social media posts calling it a holiday must-watch for its blend of gut laughs and tender moments. Early user scores hover around solid marks, fueled by word-of-mouth about the couple’s “magical” synergy.
Weithorn, known for sharp TV work, shot the film in Brooklyn under the working title Connescence, capturing the neighborhood’s gritty warmth. Production wrapped in early 2024, with the stars doubling as producers to infuse personal stakes.
Netflix’s timing taps into post-Thanksgiving family viewing, positioning it as cozy counterprogramming to blockbuster fare. Streaming charts show quick climbs, proving the draw of seasoned leads in a youth-obsessed market.
Midlife Messes and Messy Hearts Unpacked
At its core, The Best You Can flips the rom-com script by centering folks in their late 50s and beyond, tackling taboos like health scares, caregiving burdens, and reignited sparks.
Cynthia juggles her husband’s cognitive slide, hiring aides disguised as researchers to fuel his Watergate memoir dreams, while dodging passive-aggressive jabs from his daughter Rosemary, played by Heather Burns.
Stan, a disillusioned ex-cop, reconnects with Sammi by offering awkward support at her gigs while grappling with fears about his enlarged prostate.
These threads weave a realistic portrait of later-life pivots. The film spotlights generational rifts, with Stan and Cynthia bonding over eye-rolls at Gen Z quirks, yet it humanizes the kids too, showing Sammi’s hustle and CJ’s blunt appeal.
Fidelity gets a nuanced nod as their text-fueled affair tests loyalties without easy villains. Warren’s decline forces Cynthia to confront her age-gap marriage’s cracks, sparked when she wed him in her 30s and he was in his 50s.
Humor lands through awkward highs and lows. Stan’s bodega hookups deliver cringey-yet-charming lines about his “hot older guy” allure, balanced by poignant beats like Cynthia’s restaurant panic when Warren wanders confused.
Kevin Bacon and Kyra Sedgwick (Credit: NBC)
Product nods, like a Roku doorbell in the break-in scene, spark minor gripes for feeling forced, but they ground the action in everyday tech anxieties. Social commentary peeks through on economic divides, contrasting Cynthia’s upscale life with Stan’s patrol gig, though some say it stays surface-level.
Viewer perspectives vary. Families praise its relatable take on elder care, with one reviewer noting parallels to real Watergate legacies and modern memory loss struggles. Younger crowds appreciate the anti-trope vibe, ditching 20-something perfection for flawed, funny adults finding late blooms.
Mixed takes point to uneven tones, juggling screwball antics with heavier dementia drama, yet the leads carry it through. Paramedic stats from health sites underscore the timeliness, as prostate issues hit one in eight men over 50, mirroring Stan’s arc.
The film’s intimacy thrives in a small-screen format. Handheld shots and cozy interiors amplify emotional close-ups, earning cinematography nods at Tribeca for that “warm feel.”
Music swells during live performances, like Sammi’s sets, adding rhythmic punch to the narrative pulse. It challenges rom-com norms by asking what “the best” looks like when youth fades, sparking debates on second chances.
Streaming Hit’s Future Glow and Cultural Ripples
The Best You Can arrives amid Netflix’s rom-com renaissance, filling a gap for grown-up stories as viewers tire of glossy teen tales. Its holiday drop aligns with Sony’s VOD push, but Netflix exclusivity boosts global reach, racking up plays from cozy couches worldwide.
Tribeca acclaim for “intense honesty” and ensemble nods signal awards chatter, potentially landing indie nods for screenplay and acting.
Box office parallels highlight its smart path. Unlike theater-bound hits, this VOD-to-streamer model mirrors successes like other Bacon vehicles, capitalizing on his MaXXXine buzz and Sedgwick’s directing cred from Space Oddity.
Culturally, it nudges conversations on aging in pop culture. Boomers dominate screens, but this nods to Gen X realities like health crunches and empty nests, offering comfort to sandwiched caregivers.
Dementia portrayals draw from real stats , where 55 million worldwide face it, per global reports, making Warren’s arc hit home. Rom-com fans hungry for depth celebrate its text-era courtship, updating When Harry Met Sally for smartphone swipes.
Challenges linger. Some critics flag shallow dives into class gaps or infidelity ethics, calling it “inconsequential” despite charm.
Still, its staying power shows in repeat views, with families dissecting endings where Stan and Cynthia chase authentic wants over safe routines. Future projects could build on this, as Weithorn eyes more mature tales.
Word-of-mouth fuels longevity. Posts rave about “must-see” status for Americans eyeing aging parallels, while international fans dig the universal friend-to-lover arc. As 2025 wraps, this gem cements Bacon and Sedgwick’s timeless pull, proving real sparks make the best on-screen fire.
Starz dropped Spartacus: House of Ashur on December 5, 2025, kicking off with two episodes that yank fans back to Capua’s gore-soaked sands. Creator Steven S. DeKnight flips the script on the original run, imagining schemer Ashur, played by Nick E. Tarabay, dodging death on Mount Vesuvius.
Rewarded by Marcus Crassus for supposedly slaying Spartacus, he claims the wrecked House of Batiatus as his own ludus, hungry to rebuild the arena and claw status from Roman snobs.
Season one packs 10 episodes weekly through February 2026, blending upstairs elite schemes with downstairs blade clashes. Lucy Lawless reprises Lucretia in a guest spot that frames the what-if premise: she taunts him in the underworld before granting this second shot at power.
Tarabay owns the role, his oily charm turning Ashur from a hated side villain to a magnetic antihero scheming against odds.
New blood powers the cast. Graham McTavish hulks as Doctor Korris, drilling fighters with an iron fist. Tenika Davis ignites as Achillia, a Nubian warrior Ashur renames and molds into ga ladiatrix star after the dwarf trio Brothers Ferox humiliate his top man.
Claudia Black schemes as noble Cossutia, blocking his game’s entry, while Jamaica Vaughan simmers as jealous lover Hilara, and Ivana Baquero adds edge as Messia.
DeKnight planned this after eyeing Caesar-Pompey epics but craved ludus drama like the original’s breakout season. Production nods to roots with directors like Rick Jacobson and Michael Hurst helming early hours.
Tarabay was hooked on the finale line during pitch calls, fueling his fire through shoots. Rotten Tomatoes sits at 100% from early critics, Metacritic 74, praising raw fights and intrigue revival.
Viewers split online. Reddit threads buzz with love for Ashur’s despicableness, though some gripe caricatured foes echo old flaws. Families of original fans binge, hooked on callbacks like rebel-ravaged Capua ruins. Starz bets big, scripting season two already if numbers hit, eyeing five-season arc.
Arena Gore and Elite Backstabs Collide
Episodes ramp brutal hooks fast. Pilot “Dominus” sees Ashur rally gladiators post-dwarf upset , scouting Achillia from slave pens. “Forsaken” throws her into training hell, fending off rapists and earning Korris’ respect by nicking him in a duel. Gladiators bristle at her, but she carves space with dual blades against Brothers Ferox prep.
Politics thickens. Ashur charms Senator Gabinius, Pompey’s backer, via his daughter Viridia after the pirate rescue. Cossutia sabotages, sending thugs after Korris, who blames rivals. Guest Jackson Gallagher slinks in as young Gaius Julius Caesar, hijacking Ashur’s villa with wife Cornelia for dominance displays that humiliate the lanista.
Fights deliver signature Spartacus excess. Achillia main-events Ludi Apollinares, dodging a rigged swap to Ammoniu,s whom she guts anally for crowd roar.
Spartacus: House of Ashur (Credit: Amazon Prime Video)
Celadus and cocky son Tarchon scrap kin tension, Leigh Gill’s dwarf antics nod prequel vibes. Hilara spies Viridia’s Ashur crush, Messia pines unrequited, and Opiter-Korris romance brews amid whispers.
DeKnight weaves history loose: Crassus plots to sway Gabinius from Pompey via Ashur pawns, Caesar eyes pirates for clout. Female warriors shine beyond gimmick, Achillia voicing abduction trauma that steels her kills. Nudity and sex, original heat, Caesar-Cornelia villa romp, forcing servant threesome under Ashur’s glare.
Fan takes vary. Some cheer Gore’s fidelity, others miss Spartacus’ purity, but Tarabay’s menace wins converts. IMDb users rate pilots mid-6s, praising spectacle over depth. Social posts hail Achillia arc, dwarf bouts for fun chaos. Starz promo trailers tease blood fountains, fueling holiday binges.
That Gut-Punch Finale Line Changes Everything
Season one’s last episode lands on February 6, 2026, but buzz swirls around its reveal twist. Ashur learns he merely wounded Spartacus, not killed him; rebels still lurk.
He snarls a vow to “Kill Them All,” storms the ludus gates toward confrontation, priming Rome-shaking war. DeKnight crafted it to goosebump, hooking Tarabay instantly.
This cliffhanger screams miniseries fakeout, refusing closure. ScreenRant notes it sparks talk on Ashur’s pawn status, Crassus’s games, and Caesar’s ambitions. No neat end, just hunger for his rebel hunt, clashing elite traps. Fans flood Reddit demanding renewals, posts predicting Spartacus clash or Ashur heel turn.
Starz eyes metrics post-drop. DeKnight readies season two scripts, teasing Ashur redemption or doom like Sopranos arcs. Success mirrors Power hauls, positioning Sparta-verse spinoffs. Original alums like McTavish ground nostalgia, Lawless cameo perfect bridge.
Cultural kick returns to gladiator grit amid streamer satiation. Achillia empowers, dwarves, fight innovate, but core thrills in betrayal webs. Caesar’s youth ties Rome’s rise, and Gabinius’s loyalty tests echo the republic’s fractures. Viewers debate: root villain or await fall? Numbers climb charts, petitions surge for more.
Word-of-mouth builds. Forums dissect Lucretia’s gift-curse, Hilara’s jealousy boils, and Korris’s survival smarts. As 2025 closes, House of Ashur revives franchise pulse, that final line etching pleas for bloodier sands ahead.
