Once again, Meryl Streep proves what a true chameleon she is. She can play any
character, from awkward Julia Child to a dottering Margaret Thatcher, strict
and plain Sister Aloysius Beauvier in Doubt to glamorous Miranda Priestly in
Devil Wears Prada to Donna in Mama Mia. Each character she plays shows rich depth and is
fully realized. Kay in Hope Springs is another character Streep owns.
Kay has been married for 31 years and finds herself desperate
for a change from the monotonous Omaha life into which she and Arnold (Tommy Lee
Jones) have settled. She books them a
one week intensive marriage encounter in Maine with Dr. Feld (Steve Carell). Their
coming to terms with each other and the lives they have accepted make for pure
entertainment for the audience—funny, poignant, heart-wrenching, satisfying. Whether you are married or not, the film says
a great deal about the limits that all of us put on ourselves and the need to
grow.
Steve Carell is at his most subdued and personable. Tommy
Lee Jones is always fascinating to watch and shows a lot of depth to his
character, but whenever Meryl Streep is on the screen, she teaches what true
acting is. When I directed high school plays, I used to drill into my kids’
heads that “Acting is Reacting… Acting is Reacting.” Just watch Streep closely
and you won’t find one false note to her character. She has the most expressive
face of almost any American actress. The
audience responds to her totally in this film and I heard over and over how
wonderful they thought the film and the actors.
All the characters really seem to listen to each other and
enrich our lives by their insights. The writing is strong and we end up rooting for the couple.
This is a must see film for the summer.
Hope Springs (2012) *****
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