August: Osage County, adapted from the theatrical script of the same name, is not quite as funny as the previews suggest. It is a heavy, uncomfortably honest examination of a dysfunctional Oklahoma family in the face of the patriarch's suicide and funeral. The opening scene allows the audience to fall in love with Beverley, played by Sam Shepard (Black Hawk Down, Mud) , the patriarch of the family, who describes his wife lovingly to a potential housekeeper. Meryl Streep, nominated for Best Actress, plays his wife, Violet, who has mouth cancer (ironically enough) and is addicted to the bottles upon bottles of pills that her doctor has prescribed. Violet is a bitter, cynical woman who believes she is doing the best for her children by pointing out their many faults and failures. This type of criticism has created dysfunctional women, as one is on the verge of divorce, a second in a uncomfortable relationship with her cousin, and the third throwing herself at a rich man who clearly has problems of his own. Julia Roberts, also nominated for Best Supporting Actress, plays the main daughter, Barbara, who left home at a young age because of the difficult relationship with her mother. Throughout the film, we begin to understand that Barbara, who despises her mother, shares the same traits and will never understand that this is the reason her husband leaves her. Chris Cooper (The Patriot, The Bourne Identity), Ewan McGregor (Moulin Rouge, Star Wars the new trilogy),Dermot Mulroney (My Best Friend's Wedding, About Schmidt), and Abigail Breslin (Little Miss Sunshine, Zombieland) round out this star studded cast.
This incredibly awkward family gathering is less funny and more uncomfortable to watch as someone who has their own shouting matches during family get together's. I'm sure the audience can relate to getting together with siblings and extended family that you no longer have anything in common with, and sure enough, Ivy, played by Julianne Nicholson (Boardwalk Empire, Law and Order: Criminal Intent) says that she feels no sisterly bond, but that they are "all just people, some of us accidentally connected by genetics, a random selection of cells. Nothing more".
This is a story about how addiction can hurt a family, about how secrets and betrayal can affect a family for generations, and about how, at the end of the day, family is nothing more than a bunch of people born to each other. Quite depressing.
Also, I saw this film for Benedict Cumberbatch, and I'm just going to say that his character only makes his acting talent stand out further.
This is a story about how addiction can hurt a family, about how secrets and betrayal can affect a family for generations, and about how, at the end of the day, family is nothing more than a bunch of people born to each other. Quite depressing.
Also, I saw this film for Benedict Cumberbatch, and I'm just going to say that his character only makes his acting talent stand out further.