Film Review for August: Osage County

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Film Review for August: Osage County

Maelstrom: this was the only word that came to mind for this film, directed by John Wells, after the screen faded out. The scenes shifted hastily and the characters were always upset - but it is surely one of the best movie of this year. Sounds ironic, but the climate and the nuance of the film are just the same to that of the original play by Tracy Letts. However, the precise imitation is not the only reason why this film catches attention. The movie accurately grasps the ambiance of the original play, effectively modify the original work, and is marvelously performed by the top-class actors, giving birth to such a masterpiece.

The strongest point of this film is definitely the way it is to the original play. Each character in the film perfectly follows the lines in the play. Some might criticize the movie for the same reason. They would argue that recognizing the plot of a film just makes it suspense-less. However, most audiences would have bought the movie ticket while anticipating the spirit of the original play, which is the importance of kindness to the others in such an inhumane society. In this film, the scene which Violet wander around, trying to find her family after she lost all of them due to her pungent words, clearly shows the idea of the original film. However, clumsy modification has no advantage but make the audiences feel awkward and distort the original ideas of the play. Therefore, the honest delivery of the message of the original writing to the audiences make this film such a sensation.

The one and only major modification in the film, which dragged out a positive effect, is the switch in the main character. In the original work, the play starts with Violet and ends with Violet, meaning that the role of Violet in the film is significant. However, director Wells has more emphasis on Barbara, and this certainly lead to positive consequence. Through this change, the audiences would have realized that Barbara is the misfortunate character who lost everything, just like Violet. In the near end scene of the film, when Barbara gets out of the Jeep and try to soothe her temper with a strained smile, most audiences would have clearly felt an agony of a woman who lost her family.

Although the directing of Wells is striking, this movie would not have been made with such a quality without the astonishing performances by the top-class actors. Most audiences would agree that each actors efficiently portray the original characters of the play and satisfy the expectations which the audiences would have had to the film. Among the performances of all the actors, the best is undoubtedly the performance by Meryl Streep, as Violet in the film. The image of her is totally different from the ones witnessed in her former works, such as The Iron Lady(2011), or Mamma Mia!(2008). Her contemptuous-looking makeup and keen voice gave life to an ordinary fictional character, Violet, and also brought success to the movie. The peak was when she performed the fluctuating emotion of Violet at the dinner table, perfectly resembling the behavior of a drug addict. It is true that the unprofessional acting of Violet might have been a drawback to this film. However, Meryl Streep well managed to perform the insulting lines of Violet, and showed the audiences that their money was worth its value.

Making a film based on an original work does not sound like a big deal, but making a good film based on an original work is not easy, since numerous connoisseurs demand the sentiment of the original work to the film. Numerous films based on novel like The Hobbit(2011) or The Da Vinci Code(2006) were harshly censured by the critics for damaging the beauty of the original novel. However, thanks to Mr. Wells, this sensation does not ruin the play, but well dramatizes and even exceeds the original work, by visualizing the written work. The direct following of the play gives the pleasure of comparing the two, and hardly a scene disappoints audiences. It is certainly a masterpiece that would make Mrs. Letts cry in joy.

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