Towards the end, when a moody, erratic, unstable mother [Meryl Streep in
a tailor-made role] confesses to one of her daughters that she had always known
that her late husband had a secret affair with her own sister and even they
both had a son together, little she knew that the daughter has already fallen
in love with the same cousin who’s none else but her half-brother. Moments
later, the daughter walks off the place crying and the mother asks in plain
inexperience, “Who’s the injured party here?”
John Wells’ family-drama or rather dysfunctional family-drama AUGUST:
OSAGE COUNTY has plenty of such good black humor illustrations coming out from
left, right and centre with the exposé of dark secrets everyone in the family
holds. Supported well by an imposing cast, AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY is an
emotionally multi-layered, gravely funny and sometimes a deeply-moving film to
watch!
Soon after the accidental death; also suspected as suicidal affair of
Beverly Weston [Sam Shepard], everyone related by blood and affinity to the
third degree joins Violet [Meryl] in her sufferings to deal with the current
loss and an incurable illness to fight for. The visitors include her eldest
daughter Barbara [Played by Julia Roberts] with her separated husband [Ewan
McGregor] and teenage daughter, second daughter Karen [Juliette Lewis] with her
latest boyfriend, youngest daughter Ivy [Played by Julianne Nicholson] and the
family of Violet’s sister. At first, it may seem and sound a strong emotional
family re-union that comes together in the times of despair but soon you enter
their lives, you get amazed by the dark secrets and the darker inner of their
characters. The best part is that it never attacks to make you feel sorry for
them, in fact the plot unravels itself in such a delectable manner that you
would bound to smile till you burst in giggles.
Meryl Streep plays a drug-addict fighting with mouth-cancer and that
appears totally in-sync with her loud-mouthed, mean and morose housewife who
never stops being argumentative about things and blasting on others. She even
doesn’t miss any of chances to put others down, no matter how close she/he is
to her. Her intensive mood-swings are worth watching.
Julia Roberts’ Barbara can equally be judgmental, dominating and
ruthlessly practical. Watch her on the dining table scene where she jumps,
bumps and wrestles with her mother to seize the addictive tablets from her. She
is perfect to her part. On others, Juliette Lewis manages to create some
comical ‘oh, how can you be so dumb’ moments. Julienne Nicholson gives a
sensible performance in her cutely amusing love portions with her cousin in the
film, the nervous, anxious but overtly emotional soul ‘Little Charles’ played
by Benedict Cumberbatch. Though he’s there in just for a couple of scenes,
still he grabs yours attention with a sincere performance.
Overall, it is a film that establishes no one is pure, no one is what he/she looks like and no one is so simple to deal with but then, that’s life. It’s complicated, intricate, difficult but in your face. Dark humor subtly weaved in the plot and a charmingly beautiful cast makes it a good sight for eyes with a constant smile! Watch it. [3.5/5]
Overall, it is a film that establishes no one is pure, no one is what he/she looks like and no one is so simple to deal with but then, that’s life. It’s complicated, intricate, difficult but in your face. Dark humor subtly weaved in the plot and a charmingly beautiful cast makes it a good sight for eyes with a constant smile! Watch it. [3.5/5]
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