“Here Today” is a gentle comedy directed by Billy Crystal.

Crystal, a comedy genius noted for romantic comedies as well as for stand-up comedy, stars in “Here Today” opposite Tiffany Haddish, another comedy genius, albeit of a different generation, noted for her stand-up comedy.

Opposites attract, as it’s said. And in “Here Today,” Crystal, who portrays a veteran comedy writer Charlie Burnz, is attracted to Haddish, who portrays an aspiring singer Emma Payge.

Call it “When Billy Met Tiffany.”

“Here Today” begs comparison to “When Harry Met Sally” (1989), the iconic film and role in which Crystal, as Harry, starred opposite Meg Ryan, as Sally.

You may remember the famous line, “I’ll have what she’s having,” said by film director Rob Reiner’s mother in the legendary New York Katz delicatessen scene.

The take-away line in “Here Today” is the title, which Crystal says without completing the statement. You know it: “Here today, gone tomorrow.”

No spoilers here, but the title and the well-known epigram should clue you in to what the film, “Here Today,” is all about. It is a romantic-drama, after all.

The premise in “When Harry Met Sally” was: Can persons of the opposite sex be friends, and, would a romantic relationship ruin a good friendship between a man and a woman?

In “Here Today,” a romantic relationship between Crystal and Haddish is teased. Crystal is 73, Haddish is 42. Crystal is a white Jew. Haddish is an African-American Jew.

While the topic of romance is discussed by Crystal and Haddish, it’s apparent that the characters they play in “Here Today” have a love and respect for each other that is not dependent on romantic emotions.

Haddish (TBS “The Last O.G.,” 2018-2020) is delightful in the role. The actress-singer-comedian is best-known for her role in the movie, “Girls Trip” (2017), and as a Grammy Award winner for her comedy album, “Black Mitzvah” (2021), and Primetime Emmy Award winner as “Saturday Night Live” host (2017).

Her character in “Here Today” has a retro 1970s Pointer Sisters’ kind of charm, given the glad rags she’s wardrobed in, including cute hats and a macramé robe-like jacket. Haddish is a great casting choice opposite Crystal.

Haddish, in keeping with the character she plays in “Here Today,” gets to sing, including her version of the song, “Piece of My Heart,” perhaps Janis Joplin’s most famous song with Big Brother and the Holding Company and a hit in 1970. Haddish sings the song at a Bat Mitzvah and while the scene has its humorous aspects, Haddish makes the song her own, even to re-imagining it as a woman’s empowerment song, as the young girls at the Bat Mitzvah look on including the Bat Mitzvah girl, Lindsay (a memorable Audrey Hsieh).

Another song in “Here Today” is heard on the soundtrack and enhances a scene toward the film’s conclusion. Haddish again reinterprets a classic, that of Bob Dylan’s “You’re Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go” (1974), which becomes less of a wistful tribute to a romance gone MIA and more of a tribute to friendship. Again, no spoilers here.

Crystal (“City Slickers,” 1991; “City Slickers II: The Legend of Curly’s Gold,” 1994) plays the nebbish mensch role that we’re accustomed to seeing him in. Since Crystal co-wrote the screenplay, he gives himself some great one-liners and zingers that he’s noted for.

Crystal co-wrote the screenplay with Alan Zweibel, on whose short story, “The Prize,” the screenplay is based.

Crystal’s character in “Here Today” has a Woody Allen kind of vibe, but without the annoying nervous verbal exasperations and frenetic hand gestures. “Here Today,” with its many New York City settings, is, in ways, a Woody Allen type of film, if Woody Allen was able to get his films financed.

Memorable in supporting roles are Penn Badgley and Laura Benanti as Charlie’s sons, and Louisa Krause as Charlie’s deceased wife.

The movie has several cameos, including those of Sharon Stone, Kevin Kline, Barry Levinson.

“Here Today” is one of those films that can sneak up on your and take you unawares. It’s unassuming in its normalcy and its straightforward cinematic style.

“Here Today” takes a dynamic twist -- again, no spoilers -- that had me getting out the handkerchiefs. If popcorn boxes were handkerchiefs, “Here Today” would rate three.

If you’re a fan of Billy Crystal and-or Tiffany Haddish, you will enjoy “Here Today.” See “Here Today” before it’s gone tomorrow.

“Here Today,”

MPAA rated PG-13 (Parents Strongly Cautioned Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13. Parents are urged to be cautious. Some material may be inappropriate for pre-teenagers.) for strong language and sexual references; Genre: Comedy; Runtime: 1 hr., 57 min. Distributed by Stage 6 Films.

At The Movies:

“Here Today” was seen at the Movie Tavern Trexlertown, I pre-ordered and pre-paid for the Crispy Chicken Ranch Sandwich, which included a side of French fries. It was delivered to me at my movie theater seat. I enjoyed it before the movie began. After I devoured the food, I put on my face mask.

Movie Box Office,

May 14 - 16: “Spiral” spun to No. 1, opening with $8.7 million, on 2,811 screens, one week, as “Wrath of Man” dropped one place to No. 2 with $3.7 million, on 3,007 screens; $14.6 million, two weeks, and “Those Who Wish Me Dead” opened at No. 3 with $2.8 million on 3,188 screens, one week.

4. “Demon Slayer the Movie: Mugen Train” dropped two places, $1.7 million on 1,930 screens; $41.9 million, four weeks. 5. “Raya and the Last Dragon” stayed in place, $1.7 million, on 2,285 screens, $46.1 million, 11 weeks. 6. “Godzilla vs. Kong” dropped two places, $1.4 million, on 2,484 screens; $95 million, seven weeks. 7. “Mortal Kombat” dropped four places with $1.3 million, on 2,465 screens, $39.9 million, four weeks. 8.”Finding You” opened with $954,297, on 1,312 screens, one week. 9.”Profile” opened with $670,000, on 2,033 screens, one week. 10. “Here Today” dropped three places, $530,000, on 1,200 screens, $1.9 million, two weeks.

26. “The War with Grandpa,” co-starring Allentown’s Oakes Fegley, dropped one place, $13,684, on 70 screens, $21.2 million, 32 weeks, the longest-running movie in the Top 30.

Box office figures from Box Office Mojo as of May 16 are subject to change.

Unreel,

May 21:

“Dream Horse,”

PG: Euros Lyn directs Toni Collette, Damian Lewis in the Biography, Comedy, Drama. Residents of a town in Wales pool their money to fund a race horse, Dream Alliance.

“Zone 414,”

No MPAA rating: Andrew Baird directs Guy Pearce, Travis Fimmel, Antonia Campbell-Hughes and Matilda Anna Ingrid Lutz in the Sci-Fi, Thriller. A daughter of the founder of a colony of humanoid robots goes missing.

“The Dry,”

R: Robert Connolly directs Eric Bana and Genievieve O’Reilly in the Crime, Drama, Mystery. A man returning to his hometown for a funeral investigates an unsolved murder.

“American Fighter,”

R: Shaun Paul Piccinino directs George Kosturos, Tommy Flanagan, Sean Patrick Flanery, Bryan Craig and Allison Paige in the Action, Biography. A wrestler competes in the underground fight scene to raise money for his ailing mother.

Movie opening dates from Internet Movie Database are subject to change.

Three Popcorn Boxes out of Five Popcorn Boxes