The Hollywood Reporter announced that John Wells’ August: Osage County won big at the Capri, Hollywood Film Festival, winning the fest’s biggest prize. Last year’s big winner was Silver Linings Playbook. Meryl Streep was the big winner as well as the whole cast for the ensemble prize.
Meanwhile, Annette Insdorf penned a lovely op-ed about August: Osage County – and believes that the harsh criticism directed at the film is an example, “metropolitan snobbery”:
While some might be surprised to find August: Osage County marketed as a comedy, the film version directed by John Wells is laced with some very dark humor indeed. A real ensemble piece, it gives most of its thirteen characters opportunities to huff, puff and blow the proverbial house down, ‘Oklahoma Gothic’ style. By the movie’s end, delusions, denials and lies are bared by actors at the peak of their craft.
These include Meryl Streep as Violet Weston, the eviscerating matriarch whose husband has just disappeared. Suffering from mouth cancer while hurling toxic words at her family, Violet takes drugs as well as potshots at daughters played by Julia Roberts, Juliette Lewis and Julianne Nicholson.
She continues:
Martindale also shared Tracy Letts’ confession of how autobiographical the story was, based on the life of his verbally lashing grandmother after his grandfather’s suicide. When he first showed the lacerating play to his mother, she allegedly said, “you’ve been very kind.”
Seeing the film with an audience of 800 people turned out to be a different experience from watching it in a small screening room weeks earlier. Onscreen behavior that elicited uncomfortable smiles from critics at a press screening was greeted by waves of laughter from a crowd.
Given that August: Osage County has received mixed reviews from major urban newspapers, the film might be suffering from metropolitan snobbery. Histrionics that seem melodramatic in front of a dozen reviewers can be hilarious with a large audience. For some, the laughter that greeted the ferocious lines of the extended Weston clan might have resulted from a glimmer of recognition; for others, it was a reminder of how gifted actors can render a terrifying family dinner in terms of liberating humor.
I have a feeling that there is an untold “caste” system when it comes to the forms of art. For many people definitely theater is much more respectable, more intellectual, more worthy form of art than film. So, this is why almost never those like any movie based on a play. In their mind, it confirms that they are the real intellectuals who appreciate the theater and plays. Movies are for those not-so-intellectuals and not-so-refined audience! So it is normal that they always compare those two different mediums and almost always claim that theater/play version i better. Also, it supports their feeling of exclusivity! They are among the happy minority who can afford to go and see those plays (mostly on Broadway where average ticket price is over 100 dollars nowadays!). Therefore, I am not surprised that those, metropolitan snobs didnt like the movie version. Regarding Estelle Parsons, yes she was great in the play, if not a bit overacting…but again that role is a bit showy to start with…(i saw it with her in it). But even then she was too old for the role (more like a grand mother than the mother!). Also, it was more than a 3hour play…It is not possible to have a movie version that long! And Jessica Lange?? yeah sure, then forget bout box office!
When somebody suggests Jessica Lange for this role, it’s somehow ironic, because Meryl got some criticism for overdoing it and Jessica Lange is the Queen of Overacting.
All the Meryl carping is fascinating. Jessica Lange would have been an interesting choice for television, but she no longer holds cinematic interest, I am happy to hear audiences laughed at this in theaters, because it means something connected, which is all a writer wants.
Imagine Jessica Lange in Meryl’s role. DONE.
Its a defaul choice to have Meryl playing Violet. Its so boring and so seen there done that. Streep never feels it to me and I was constantly distracted that she was always acting. Roberts was phenomenal and so was Julianne Nicholson. They were natural. Streep felt out of place to me. The same feeling with Martindale as well. McGregor was hugely miscast.
The movie was surprisingly funny with great comedic black humor moments. Oooh I LOVE the dinner plate scene!
And Hollywood! Next time chose other great actresses in their 60s to play a matriarch with spice who actually has the edge to do it. Please call Glenn Close, Sigourney Weaver, Judi Dench, Helen Mirren, Judy Davis, Barbara Hershey
In the script Violet is supposed to be 65. During filming Estelle Parsons would’ve turned 85. Streep was 63. I saw Parsons do this on stage four years ago and she was fabulous. But for the film version…was never going to happen.
Or perhaps the critics are truly metropolitan snobs. In years to come I predict this film will become a cult classic.
Or perhaps the critics felt the sting of not seeing Estelle Parsons (who was the right age for the role and played it brilliantly on stage) not being cast in the Streep film role. If I were Parsons, I would have been pissed.
I really enjoyed this film.
Critics always act with prejudice when it comes down to movies adapted from plays.
And regarding Meryl’s performance, the critics probably wanted a drug-addicted old lady from Oklahoma to act like one of those ladies from Downton Abbey.
I haven’t seen the movie yet (opens here next week), but my sense tells me the film is being vastly over-criticized. Critics can be very condemning, especially since this was already an award winning play. Just based on the cast alone, I think it’ll be a winner. Do not underestimate this film.