Review: August: Osage County

Set in the back-end-of-the-bottom-of-that-bit-round-the-corner-of-approximately-nowhere, August: Osage County is the story of an American mid-West family that comes together following a crisis. It follows the fallout from where their lives have taken them and what they have become, both individually and as a group.

Cards on the table, it’s a pretty slow one. If you think the Transformers movies were under-awarded, then this film is not going to be for you. Full to the brim with conversations round dinner tables and glances across rooms full of reason, this is very much a dialogue heavy piece, so go along with a modicum of patience. If you do give it time though, the film is really rather good.

Through a combination of the three daughters (all well played, none better however than Julia Roberts), uncles, aunts, boyfriends and children, this is an exploration of what happens when family life fractures and a once close-knit unit is pulled apart by time, circumstance, or a combination of the two. As a 23 year old I sort of felt this film wasn’t really for me – not that I didn’t enjoy it, but I think people in their middle years will be able to strike a chord with the themes slightly more. Dealing with stubbornly ageing parents is something nearly all of us have to deal with, and the film examines these issues patiently and thoughtfully.

The standout performance, as in pretty much every film she appears in, comes from Meryl Streep. I will struggle to find a new way to talk about her (the word I tend to go for is ‘powerhouse’ if you must know) but she is simply faultless in this role. As a drug-addicted cancer patient, she manages to bring every single aspect of the character to light and keep them perfectly balanced. Unlike ‘good’ actors, great actors know the power in the smallest movements and words, and Streep is an embodiment of complete acting. Of course when volume and drama are required she can draw from the well, but she understands that a character is sometimes remarkable in what they don’t do.

In terms of Oscar nominations Streep is up for Best Actress against the remarkable performance of Cate Blanchett in Blue Jasmine, a film I thoroughly enjoyed, so she will have tough competition for the little statue this year. Roberts is also nominated in the Supporting category, and may struggle against the unstoppable force that is Jennifer Lawrence (American Hustle). I would have rated the script as higher than that of American Hustle, which is nominated for the Original Screenplay gong, but hey, I didn’t like Argo so what do I know!

Not the easiest film to watch I would say, but well worth seeing for the experience, and Streep is worth the admission price twice over. Go out and see this film, and hey, your local cinema might be showing it.