Four best friends have known each other for 40 years. And they still have their own monthly book club! This time when they sit down together, Sharon Meyers (Candice Bergen), Vivian O'Donnell (Jane Fonda), Diane (Diane Keaton) and Carol Colby (Mary Steenburgen) start reading the Fifty Shades of Grey trilogy by E.L. James. These women know each other inside and out. Although some are apprehensive about tackling these books, they are gradually inspired by the adventures of Christian Grey and Ana Steele to have frank and spirited (and humorous) discussions about love, sex and relationships. And about age, too.

Each woman has a different status when it comes to relationships. Sharon, a federal judge, is divorced, and her ex-husband Tom Meyers (Ed Begley Jr.) is dating a younger woman. Vivian is a life-long bachelorette and owns an exclusive hotel. Decades ago, though, she was involved with disc jockey Arthur Riley (Don Johnson). Diane is a widowed mother of two grown daughters, who is just trying to find happiness and purpose. Carol is a chef with her own restaurant, and she's been happily married to Bruce Colby (Craig T. Nelson) for 35 years.

As the weeks pass, the women give more attention to their relationships. Each takes a different path, although each one is also derailed a bit. In the end, each one finds new love, or rediscovers past love, or regains enduring love.

What's most fun is checking in with all of these great stars again, and to watch them interact. In addition to those already mentioned: Sharon meets George (Richard Dreyfuss) and Diane meets Mitchell (Andy Garcia). What wonderful casting! The storylines of the four women offer many moments for laughter, as well as some scenes to get teary-eyed over.

In case you wanted to ask it, Book Club serves to answer the question: Can women and men over the age of 60 still find passion and intimacy? You can no doubt predict the outcome.

Watch for Fifty Shades author E.L. James to be walking her dog with her husband, Niall Leonard, across the street from Carol and Bruce as they argue in their front yard. And Carol and Bruce have an episode in their car that may flash you back to the movie Parenthood (1989), when Mary Steenburgen and Steve Martin had a memorable escapade in their car, too. Funny scenes are made even funnier when filmmakers let the viewers make their own connections.

The movie soundtrack was certainly assembled to represent the ages and lives of these characters. Baby Boomers will relate and will enjoy the music. Kudos to whoever chose this great set list.

Book Club is about age, friendship, companionship, love, intimacy and all of that. Its main audience will be women "of a certain age" -- or anyone who is close to them. But you know what? Even if you're not in the same generation as the main characters, it's just a good story. It could even make you think.