'August: Osage County': The film's dysfunctional family is over-the-top
Tracy Letts鈥� prizewinning play 鈥�August: Osage County," directed聽by John Wells and adapted by the playwright, has been turned into聽an all-star extravaganza, though at a markedly shorter length and with聽an unnecessary tacked-on (sort of) happy ending. Meryl Streep鈥檚 wily,聽shrewish Violet Weston, afflicted with jaw cancer, is gathered in her聽crumbling Oklahama mansion with her three daughters and assorted聽kinfolk for supper following the burial of her alcoholic poet husband聽(played by Sam Shepard in a cameo). The results are like a mash-up聽of plays by, among others, Tennessee Williams, William Inge, Carson聽McCullers, Lillian Hellman and, well, Sam Shepard. It has some vitality,聽but I鈥檝e rarely seen a movie with this much dysfunctional family聽overload.聽
Streep鈥檚 performance has been criticized for being too theatrical,聽but that鈥檚 off the mark: The character she鈥檚 playing is听蝉耻辫辫辞蝉别诲听to be聽theatrical. She鈥檚 a woman playing a part 鈥� the ravaged聽matriarch. Also on board is Julia Roberts in one of her better 鈥渟erious鈥澛爌erformances as Violet鈥檚 brutally straight-talking eldest daughter; Margo聽Martindale, always wonderful, as Violet鈥檚 younger sister Mattie Fae; and聽Chris Cooper as Mattie Fae's husband, a man who suffers and suffers.聽
Benedict聽Cumberbach is miscast as their son, with a Southern accent that wobbles聽in and out. He and James Franco seem to be vying with each other for聽most performances by an actor in 2013. Grade:聽B (Rated R for language including sexual references, and for drug material.)
