Some people might stumble into the Oscar race and wonder what all of the fuss about Meryl Streep is. What it is about her is that she is an evolving human being a well as the best actress America has ever produced. Isn’t it really as simple as that? She may never get her “moment” again. But one can’t help but feel taken aback by the genius of this woman. I happened upon this video on Youtube – among many – that showcase Streep in all of her versatility and brilliance:
Meanwhile, here are my top ten Meryl Streep performances.
10. Manhattan – Streep plays a cold-hearted lesbian who has discarded Woody Allen. In her early career, Streep was kind of cast as the blonde, aloof ice queen. A little bit of this blonde returns later for the Devil Wears Prada.
9. One True Thing – I think this is one of her most underrated performances. It isn’t just the unbearable dying scenes, but it’s the other part where she lives for her family, even though her husband is as screwed up as he is. One True Thing is a good film, perhaps misunderstood in its time.
8. Silkwood – Karen Silkwood is a hard character to take in large doses, but Streep went for it and it paid off.
8. Bridges of Madison County – guilty pleasure, don’t judge me.
7. Postcards from the Edge – this is one where I just really liked the character she played – even if it probably wasn’t on the usual level of genius.
6. Kramer vs. Kramer – okay so she won her Supporting Actress for this and deservedly so. When audiences had a chance to see what Streep could do they wanted to reward her immediately for a great performance, no doubt, but nothing like what she would turn out later in her career.
5. Doubt – again, I wish I was spending all of my admiration tickets on her early career, but seriously, Streep just gets better, and this flawless performance was unique and moving, a perfect 10.
4. The Devil Wears Prada – I find it kind of amazing that Streep is doing the best work of her career in her fourth decade on the job but her Miranda is so mean, so funny, so stuck up, so vulnerable. This is another one Streep would have won in a walk had she not already won before.
3. A Cry in the Dark – this performance came at a time when it was fashionable to make fun of Streep for changing a wig and changing an accent, but to this day, Streepi is the only one who has been able to pull it off so well.
2. Julie & Julia – Streep manages to look tall and seems to capture about Julia Child not just the voice but the pioneer chef’s playful attitude about life and cooking. Child was carelessly graceful, and Streep got that about her. She even nailed how Julia Child briefly stammered when thinking about what she was going to say.
1. Sophie’s Choice – Streep famously used dental implants to play the “beautiful Sophie” and starved herself by drinking only white wine for several days to play concentration camp Sophie. Streep raised the bar for all actresses by doing the kind of stuff reserved only for “serious” actors. Streep changed everything with Sophie’s Choice.
Runners-up – Heartburn, The Deer Hunter, Mamma Mia (don’t judge!).