John Wells's projection of Tracy Lett's 'August: Osage County' is a clichéd portrait of a dysfunctional family set during the death of the patriarch. Each one of the characters are damaged and destructive and they're even resentful towards one another. Dark family secrets are revealed and the characters responses to them are unsettling.
'August: Osage County' touches on some bitter truths that many will be able to relate to. However, that's about all it does. Granted that the film is more of a portrait than a narrative story and a movie isn't necessarily required to answer questions. Yet, I cannot help but feel that something's missing.
It's got quite an interesting ensemble that boasts of well-known names. Meryl Streep hams her way through as the mentally ill, drug addicted, foul-mouthed, cruel mother. It's perhaps one of her worst performances. Margo Martindale and Chris Cooper do a decent job. Julianne Nicholson is brilliant and is the only one who shines. Juliette Lewis is no stranger to such role. Misty Upham leaves a mark with a tiny role as witness to the ticking timebomb that is this family. Dermot Mulroney does a fine job as the sleazy fiancé. Julia Roberts is quite good but her presence isn't as strong as that of the aforementioned. But, Ewan McGregor lacks screen presence here at all and his dialogue delivery sounds forced.
On the technical side, the cinematography is excellent and its got some nice music. Lighting needed some work and I the slightly washed out colour didn't do much for me. It's given that the atmosphere in the film is meant to be gloomy and tense but this is a tool that has been used, perhaps overused, in many films.
As for writing, some of the dialogue, especially the humour misses the mark and they tend to be overlong in a few sequences but otherwise, it's quite decent.
In the end, 'August: Osage County' is a bitter family portrait that showcases some fine performances especially those of Streep, Nicholson and Martindale.
'August: Osage County' touches on some bitter truths that many will be able to relate to. However, that's about all it does. Granted that the film is more of a portrait than a narrative story and a movie isn't necessarily required to answer questions. Yet, I cannot help but feel that something's missing.
It's got quite an interesting ensemble that boasts of well-known names. Meryl Streep hams her way through as the mentally ill, drug addicted, foul-mouthed, cruel mother. It's perhaps one of her worst performances. Margo Martindale and Chris Cooper do a decent job. Julianne Nicholson is brilliant and is the only one who shines. Juliette Lewis is no stranger to such role. Misty Upham leaves a mark with a tiny role as witness to the ticking timebomb that is this family. Dermot Mulroney does a fine job as the sleazy fiancé. Julia Roberts is quite good but her presence isn't as strong as that of the aforementioned. But, Ewan McGregor lacks screen presence here at all and his dialogue delivery sounds forced.
On the technical side, the cinematography is excellent and its got some nice music. Lighting needed some work and I the slightly washed out colour didn't do much for me. It's given that the atmosphere in the film is meant to be gloomy and tense but this is a tool that has been used, perhaps overused, in many films.
As for writing, some of the dialogue, especially the humour misses the mark and they tend to be overlong in a few sequences but otherwise, it's quite decent.
In the end, 'August: Osage County' is a bitter family portrait that showcases some fine performances especially those of Streep, Nicholson and Martindale.