August: Osage County (2014)

Released: 2014
Running Time: 120 mins
Genre: Drama
Estimated Budget: $25, 000,000
Estimated Gross (30th Jan 2014): $28, 628, 146

Director: John Wells
Stars: Meryl Streep, Julia Roberts, Chris Cooper, Ewan McGregor, Margo Martindale, Juliette Lewis, Dermot Mulroney, Sam Shepard

I have just sat and watched August: Osage County, wow, just wow. I am almost speechless, the performances in the film are incredible, in fact better than incredible there aren't words to describe how amazing Meryl Streep and Julia Roberts are in this movie. The fact that they have both been Oscar nominated is no surprise at all, it would have been plain stupidity if they had not. In a year of memorable roles, these 2 will stick in your mind long after you've left the theatre.

Suicide, alcoholism, addiction, adultery, incest, child abuse you name it and you'll probably find it somewhere in August: Osage County. Originally based on an award winning play August tells the story of an extremely dysfunctional family coming back together at their home in Oklahoma after the patriarch of the family commits suicide. Meryl Streep plays the widow Violet Weston whose addiction to pills and her wicked demeanour have driven her 3 daughters Barbara (Roberts) Ivy (Julianne Nicholson) and Karen (Lewis) away to far away states where she cannot wreak her havoc on them. Violet has mouth cancer and due to her impressive intake of pills she is not always coherent. Whether it is the pills talking or just her personality itself, her words can be like knives, cutting at every member of her family in turn. The same goes for her sister Mattie Fae (Martindale) their excuse for their mean behaviour is blamed on the terrible childhood they had.

Roberts' Barbara is herself very cold and cutting, (I have never heard Julia Roberts swear so much) going through a painful separation from her husband (McGregor) who surprisingly accompanies her on the trip with their 14 year old daughter Jean (Abigail Breslin) who has issues with both her parents but especially her mother. The relationship comes across as ironic as it somewhat mirrors the road that Barbara inevitably went down with Violet to get to the distant hostility they currently have towards each other. What makes these performances so powerful is that there is definitely some love there deep down, but it is hidden by years and years of harsh reality.

At 2 hours the film is an average, perhaps over average length for the story being told but I personally would have gladly sat through another half an hour to see more of the immense talent that was cast in the movie. Julianne Nicholson is brilliant as the resentful daughter who stayed home and took all of her mothers drama and insults. She is a rather shy, reserved character until the last quarter of the film when she sees her way out, into a new life and isn't going to let anyone stand in the way of her release and ultimate happiness. Dermot Mulroney, Juliette Lewis, Benedict Cumberbatch and Chris Cooper are all on fine form but they just don't get enough screen time and as there are so many issues going on in this family it would have been interesting to see some of them play out.

There are outstanding scenes in this movie, those that stand out are the screaming battles between Barbara and Violet. But in all truth every scene in this film is sensational with so much meaning and powerhouse performances. It is far from a happy ending, there have been too many years of heartache for this family and you know that they are all going to go their separate way again after this family crisis has died down. But it is bitter sweet for Barbara who has some serious issues to resolve with her family and inside herself as she has a terrifying vision of what she is slowly turning into; her mother.

If you are a fan of movies then watch August: Osage County, if you are a fan of Meryl Streep (who isn't) then watch this movie she is at her absolute best. If you see a film and get a thrill from knowing that you are watching absolute magic on the screen, then don't wait go and see this movie 9/10.