#50 SUFFRAGETTE (2015)

BACK AGAIN!

It’s been a while… but with Streepy having a big movie out next week  (and possibly her only movie out for quite some time to come) it seemed right to get back on track and catch up what we’ve missed.

SO. Why did I not see this when it came out? Well, as is becoming more and more common in Streep-Land, this is only a cameo part.

I THOUGHT WE TALKED ABOUT THIS IN “THE HOMESMAN” MERYL!!

Turns out she doesn’t read this blog obvs 😉

First off it’s CATCH UP TIME

Ricki and the Flash unfortunately didn’t do as well as some might have thought… No big award nominations, (not even a golden globe comedy nod which is usually a dead cert for a film like this). Box Office wise, it didn’t do terribly but certainly, tied in with the subject matter, it seems Meryl’s name alone does not have the same pull to the cinema as it did in the late naughties…
Never mind!

Streepy’s next film Florence Foster Jenkins looks like a coming back to form, a big classy comedy bio-pic directed by Stephen Frears (of The Queen fame).

But first! Suffragette and a little cameo part. And very much a cameo it is. Less than 5 minutes. As is the rules of Streep Race (though it’s hardly a race any more, more a gentle jog) I must watch the whole movie. So let’s take a look at SUFFRAGETTE, Meryls’ wee bit and then we can also catch up on some hot water Meryls’ gotten herself into since we last left off…

The Film:

London in 1912, Maude (Carey Mulligan) works in a laundry factory. Underpaid and overworked, and mistreated by her employer she slowly becomes more intrigued by her friends involvement in the suffragette movement. Although initially deterred by their violent antics she is slowly brought round to fighting for the cause as her situation becomes more dire and she witnesses first hand police assaults, gets arrested and her husband (Ben Whishaw) increasingly cannot tolerate her dealings which may cost her family, including her son…

This film was a long time coming. Filmed all the way back in Feb 2014, it was not released until October 2015. As the first major motion picture which focusses on the suffragette movement (a pretty surprising if shameful fact) it does pack a pretty big punch. There are certainly tough moments to watch – police trunching and hitting innocent protesting women, force feeding, nt to mention the horrors Carey Mulligan’s character has to go through.

It is Mulligan’s character that is the strange choice the filmmakers decided to make which is to have their protagonist be a “composite” character of lots of different stories from the movement filtered into one story. Their reasons being is that they wanted this to be about one of the foot soldiers that anyone can relate to rather than a big character from the history books (like Emmeline Pankhurst).

I dunno. For me, it was the real characters I wanted to find out about. The big emphasis they put on Emily Davidson at the end of the movie, yet only being a minor character, seemed like a missed opportunity to me. It seems like if you’re going to be the first people to make a film about this then you’d want to be faithful to history, and they are, they definitely do not hold back on the ordeals and tragedies that went on. But filtered into the eyes of one made up character is… a bit of an odd decision.

It’s a shame this film was left by the way side in terms of awards and recognition. It is well made and very well acted particularly by Mulligan. ANd I would definitely recommend it as a hard hitting and moving account of important history, despite its flaws.

BUT WHAT ABOUT MERYL!!

 

Ok. Meryl plays Emmeline Pankhurst. And before you think that this makes her a lead character in a film about the suffragettes. No she is on it for a couple of minutes making a speech from a window then scurrying off in a cab, giving a line of inspirational motivation to Mulligan before disappearing.

So why do this? Well, the filmmakers wanted an iconic actress to play arguably the most iconic suffragette and Streepy definitely fits that bill. She also (according to wikipedia) joined the project just a couple of weeks before filming began. Carey Mulligan was the one who suggested she play the part, plus the screenwriter, Abi Morgan, wrote The Iron Lady, so Streepy probably felt she was in good hands to do it.

So is she any good? Well, she does her job I would say. Once again we have Meryl’s odd plummy rp english accent, left over from The Iron Lady with a hint of Julia Child. It’s a standard performance you would expect from a cameo such as this however it does mean we are in Default Performance Territory once again.

Weirdly enough, for a film in which she only appears in for 5 minutes (if that) Meryl did a TONNE of press for the film. Including Graham Norton again (though I wasnt going to try to get tickets for that again). Much more than for Ricki And the Flash which was her biggest picture that time of year. During this press tour however, Meryl got herself into some hot water:

HOT WATER MOMENTS – DUH DUH DUUUHHHH

1. FEMINISM GATE – Meryl’s first dabble with controversy was the surprise to many that she did not view herself as a “feminist”. In an interview with the bbc (with some weird music on top) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vuC2tQafdYE and with Time Out she said: “I am a humanist, I am for nice, easy balance.” This caused many on the blooggersphere to go into meltdown and accuse Meryl of all sorts. What she did say to counter-act this judgement was I think a good move and is true: “I let the actions of my life show who I am, not words”. Certainly if her campaigning for equal rights in Hollywood, plus the scheme she has self funded to help female screen writers over 40 get their films made all point to that. It’s the sign of the times that if you have an opinion or any kind of stance on an issue you will get pillared on t’internet no matter what. We here on Streep Race are impartial of course 😉

2. TIMEOUT GATE – Oh dear. This was fraught. Time Out London Magazine did a photoshoot with the main cast of Suffragette with the stars wearing t shirts reading “I’d rather be a rebel than a slave”. The quote came from a Pankhurst speech (which is in the movie incidentally). Taken out of context (and in context) the images sparked fury and offence to many, particularly over the pond in the US. The suffragette movement in the states had more racial issues tied in with it and so seeing a group of white women wearing a quote such as that with no context other than they’re promoting a film about the suffragette movement meant many linked the words to the confederacy and almost saying that being a slave was a choice, or belittling and insulting those under oppression. Time Out released this statement in response: http://www.timeout.com/london/film/statement-response-t-shirt-complaints

Oh Meryl. While we’re on the subject of hot water moments we should also just side note the recent backlash to comments Meryl made at the Berlin Film Festival:

3. AFRICA GATE – This year Streep was head of the panel for the Berlin Film Festival. At a press conference preceding the festival, responding to a question about how Meryl feels she relates to or understands the culture in movies from Egypt and the Arab World, Meryl responded with:

“Yes, in fact I’ve just seen a film called Theeb, which I loved. I saw Timbuktu recently … I don’t know very much about, honestly, about the Middle East, and yet I’ve played a lot of different people from a lot of different cultures. The thing that I notice is that we’re all, there is a core of humanity that travels right through every culture. And, after all, we’re all from Africa originally. We’re all Berliners, we’re all Africans, really.”

That “We’re all Africans really” was then taken wildly out of context with many media outlets reporting that she was answering a questions about (and defending) the all-white jury of the festival. At the time #Oscarssowhite was reaching its height and this added fuel to the fire. She subsequently stated this error or reporting and many websites rectified the use of the quote showing the clip in full as opposed to the quote on its own (which is still an odd thing to say but never mind)

SO!

A bit of a roller coaster few months for our Streepy following one of her most tiny parts. Oh well, onwards and upwards!

With all that out of the way we have caught up officially with the Streepy canon. We just have Florence Foster Jenkins to look forward to next week.

Then…

Who knows what’s next for Streepy as no other films or projects have been announced…

 

#49 RICKI AND THE FLASH (2015)

OH………. GO ON THEN!

I’m so sorry but I just couldn’t resist!

Our Streepy has a new movie out!

And whilst Streep Race officially finished way back in January… WHY NOT HEY!

Before we delve into this little “Race epilogue special”,  what’s been happening in Streep-land since we left off nearly 8 months ago? (Blimey this year’s gone by quick)

CATCH UP TIME:

Well, first off, contrary to my doubting predictions, Meryl WAS nominated for an Oscar for her role in Into The Woods (a surprise really since on 2nd viewing the film might not be the modern classic I may have first thought it to be. Hey, we’ll take it!)

Secondly, for the majority of 2015 she has been filming bio-comedy “Florence”about the worst opera singer in the world with Hugh Grant no less.

But first things first, a new movie and a hell of a lot of reunions:

1. Director Jonathan Demme who directed Streepy in Manchurian Candidate.
2. Kevin Kline, now her third film to star in with (previously Sophie’s Choice and Prairie Home Companion)
3. And finally, we have Meryl’s own real life daughter Mamie Gummer playing her daughter (for the 2nd time, the first being when she was just 18 months old in Heartburn!).

So. As a wee epilogue special to our Streep Race can we safely say Streepy is still on form?

The Film:

Ricki Fendazzo (Streep) a woman in her sixties, is by day working as a checkout girl in a supermarket but by night is the lead singer of a covers band Ricki and the Flash which plays in a local bar in a suburb of L.A. Her ex husband phones to say that their daughter is going through a divorce and is in the midst of a huge meltdown and that she needs her mother. Ricki then has to go back to her family home where she is not by any means greeted with open arms for having left her family to chase her dream…

I was surprised by this film a lot. It’s a very sweet, fun, family drama. Written by Diablo Cody of Juno fame, the reviews have mainly criticised the film’s predictable and lacklustre plot and it’s true the film doesn’t delve into any particularly DARK territory. However, taken as it is, the film has a lot going for it. The relationship between Meryl and Mamie is suitably believable as the chemistry is, let’s face it, already there (it’s crazy how much of a doppelgänger they are of each other). And whilst the film does dip in pace towards the middle, it has a very touching yet rousing finale and hey, can you remember the last film you saw that shows a female rocker in her sixties, ripping apart a stage and wearing kinky leather boots?

Speaking of which:

What about Meryl??

So, going in I don’t know why I was expecting a Default Meryl Performance but I am very pleased to say the Streep is back!

It’s weird that having seen all her films, you see a picture of her new character in the press and I can kind of guess what sort of a performance it will be but having done lots of outrageous comedy, even with the goofy look she has in this film, and with it being obvious she is relishing this character, she is still very believable and as Mark Kermode says “at the top of her game”.

Hats off to Diablo Cody for writing such an interesting character. Ricki is chaotic, a hot mess and a spectacularly free-spirited (if George W Bush voting) bundle of rock’n’roll and far from playing her in a mad chewing the scenery type fashion, Streepy has got a very tight grip on maintaining subtlety and nuance within this larger than life woman. Of course we can always count on Meryl and her make-up man to have had an in-depth meeting on her character’s look and this is pretty out there with her “stuck in the 80s” vibe avec the goofy braids and thick thick eye liner.

Let’s not forget also, Meryl actually learnt electric guitar for 6 weeks to play the part. There are no impressive guitar playing solos (those are all left to Rick Springfield) but of course we know Streep can belt out a number, our last film being classy Sondheim and here we see her belt out lots in fine gritty rocky form. Director Demme insisted all music be recorded live and not over dubbed or lip synced and all the numbers feel authentic and real which in turn makes the onstage chemistry between Ricki and her band all the more enjoyable.

Diablo Cody was also a producer on the film and being on set every day saw Meryl do her thang:

“What a privilege to watch Meryl work. She’s at a place in her career where she doesn’;t have to give it 110% for every role, and yet I saw it, her hunger and curiosity, there was no fatigue there. She has the drive of a 25 year old actress.”

apparently it was Meryl herself who suggested her daughter play…    her daughter, and it is a wise decision. I was surprised (slight spoiler alert) that the plot didn’t allow for more tempestous drama between these two as Mamie’s opening scene railing and yelling at Meryl creates a whole lotta potential for a whole lotta drama. But it is still interesting to see a real mother-daughter relationship on-screen and of course Mamie holds her own against Streepy’s high energy

It shows how much weight Ms M has that this film was made to begin with. Cody wrote the script “on spec” with no attachment or commission behind it. Meryl got to read it and said she would do it and from the sounds of it, brought in the director and the studio to make it.

So yeah, maybe not up there with the greats, but as a feminista rock flick it does have it’s merits and Streepy shows no signs of slacking in her work.

We won’t have to wait much longer for her next offering “Suffragette” in October where she dons the hat of Emmeline Pankhurst. It does seem however, having a wee glance at her IMDB page that after Florence, there are no upcoming projects in the pipeline. After something like 6 films in 2 years I think we can give Streepy a break hey 😉

STREEP RACE FINALE!

Yo!

Feeling exhausted after this marathon? Think how I feel.

I have now completed my task of watching all Meryl Streep’s films! It just falls to me to decide which are my favourite (and least favourite). What will be different from our half term report? Let’s see!

First of all let’s just do a rundown of all the films I didn’t see as they didn’t fall under the Streep Race terms and conditions… for those who are interested these films are:

First Do No Harm 1997 (TV movie), A.I. Artificial Intelligence 2001 (voice cameo), Stuck On You 2003 (plays herself, uncredited), The Ant Bully 2006 (voiced animation), Fantastic Mr Fox 2009 (voiced animation).

Plus we had major tv mini series Holocaust 1978 and Angels in America 2003 that I just didn’t have time to go through.

Now! Let’s have a look and a wince at the ones that fell a bit short. Of course Streepy is lauded and wildly talented and just Meryl Streep in general. But even Streepy can’t be perfect ALL the time! It’s time to run down our 5 worst…

DUDS!!

In total I have named 6 films as duds through Streep Race. There have been a few what I call Default Meryl Performances which don’t count as bad performances perse just a little less awesome than usual. If we’re looking at the top 5 then recent dud The Homesman (2014) comes in at number 6, although it’s such a small cameo we can skip on over to…

5. STILL OF THE NIGHT (1982)

Yep, still here. In the same year that she made Sophie’s Choice she made this. A weird softly spoken stylised performance that Streepy herself says is bad. Bah well, it wasn’t her worst…

4. THE HOUSE OF THE SPIRITS (1994)

Of all her dramas, this was probably one of her most epicly disappointing. A strange character to have been cast as anyway, this mystical Chilean seemed more elusive a part to pin down for Meryl than most…

3.BEFORE AND AFTER (1996)

Hello! So in our half term report, this was at number one which means there have been worse since. I still would argue this is her weakest performance in her career as a meek mum who leaves all the action to Liam Neeson and looks concerned all the time. But that wasn’t as bad as…

2. DARK MATTER (2007)

2007 was not a good year for our Streepy. This film ranks as her least succesful and is a strange choice for her seeing as it looks and feels like a student film. Her performance is in Default Territory but as her biggest flop and worst film production-wise there’s no escaping the dud list! Why Meryl?!

1. RENDITION (2007)

Again what was she thinking in her portrayal of this character! She says she has deep sympathy for public servants, well it doesn’t come across in this film. A story that made me angry anyway, this performance is hammy, very one-dimensional and whilst not her worst performance in her career is her most misjudged and misperformed! in my humble opinion)!

Now!!

Before we have a look at the top end of the scale let’s look at a few honourable mentions, films I recommend you check out if ever they are on tele or indeed netflix or indeed £3 in your dvd retailing shop or outlet…

Honourable Mentions:

1. Silkwood 1983
2. Out Of Africa 1985
3. Postcards From the Edge 1990
4. Adaptation 2002
5. Doubt 2008
6. Julie And Julia (Or actually Julia Sans Julie)

Here we gooooo……..!!!!

This list is VERY esoteric and personal. I really don’t think this list will be concurred by lots but hey it’s my race my rules haha!

11. INTO THE WOODS (2014)

I just couldn’t have this not have special attention. We knew Streepy could sing, but sing Sondheim? Yes she can! A varied funny, emotional, big, loud, dramatic musical performance that will stand as one of her most memorable characters in years.

10. DEATH BECOMES HER (1992)

Jump back over 20 years and you see Streepy do broad comedy at her finest. Outrageous, camp, hilarious, endlessly quotable, this is one of her very best comedic performances in a film that is so strange but so entertaining!

9. HEARTBURN (1986)

You won’t see this on many top 10 Meryl film lists but this comedic-drama strikes a chord with me. One of her best roles in which she had to convey both turmoil and emotional heartbreak whilst at the same time be funny, Heartburn shows Meryl at her dryest, wittiest and frenetic (pregnant) best!

8. THE IRON LADY (2011)

No matter what you may think of the film overall there’s no denying Streep was back on formidable form after many years of either comedic or lacklustre films. Her portrayal of Margaret Thatcher is so detailed, so on point, plus she makes you sympathises with her has an old lady with dementia there’s no wonder why she won her third oscar for this awe-inspiring, performance!

7. ONE TRUE THING (1998)

Forgotten by many but highly revered by those who do, this oscar nommed role is so draining and heartbreaking to watch as one of her most tragic characters. From being a very happy wanting to please caring mother to becoming more and more broken through the effects of cancer this was a brave gutsy role to take and really pulls no punches in its honesty and raw emotion.

6. AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY (2013)

From a good mother to a bad bad bad mother. There’s something wickedly entertaining in watching Streepy play this low-voiced, vile, barking, snarling Southern matriarch who drives her family away from her. A pretty daunting role by any standards just watch that 20 minute dinner scene you’ll see why this oscar nommed performance is on the list.

5. THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA (2006)

Meryl can do comedy no question, if she does have a default drama performance she definitely has a default comedy performance. However this is her most detailed unexpected sharply observed turn that caught many off guard and gave her a whole new legion of fans. Miranda Priestley is one of Streepys most finest detailed glamorous creations and always worth going back to. That’s all.

4. SOPHIE’S CHOICE (1982)

Her best ever performance? One of the greatest performances in history? Certainly her most transformative. Streepy is always hailed as being so unrecognisable as the polish holocaust survivor with a hideously bleak and horrible secret past. You want to know why Meryl is praised so much the way she is, this is why. I can’t say this is a film that I’d watch a good number of times again but still this was a career defining moment for Streep as one of the finest actors of her generation.

3. KRAMER VS KRAMER (1979)

Combined with the fact this is a great film, Streepy’s empathetic look at a highly unsympathetic woman means she not only won her first oscar but made plenty of people look up and regard the then 30-year-old Streep as very good news! Streep only appears a the very beginning and then the last third of the film but boy does she make an impact and leave you entirely conflicted and blown away!

2. THE BRIDGES OF MADISON COUNTY (1996)

OOhhhh this performance came top in our half term report which means there is a new favourite! This is a weepy weepy meryl streepy of the highest order, beautifully made, one of meryls very few romantic movies you can’t help but be moved by the italian war bride who  falls in love hard for another man and has to decide in a matter of seconds whether to be happy or safe. It’s gorgeous!

1. THE HOURS (2002)

You won’t see this film come on top of many top 10 Meryl films let alone in there anyway. But out of all Meryl’s performances I can’t seem to shake off the fact that this is my favourite of them all. Arguably the least interesting of the three main characters in the film Meryl still is astonishing as someone in the midst of a nervous breakdown trying to hold it all together whilst best friends are nearing suicide due to her triviality. Not her most transformative role but one of her most emotional nuanced, plus her best breaking down merylling it up moment of her career haha

So there we have it!

Streep Race is done. And what have I learnt? Well, that our gal didn’t get all the praise and awards for nothing. Hard work is the watchword for our streepy. From raw talent in the 70.s to taking huge characterful risks in the 80’s, to genre defying risks in the 90’s, finding herself a new-found fandom in the 00’s and even now as she is heading towards the latter part of her sixties there’s still no stopping her.

Already we have two films “Rikki and the Flash” (where she is playing a washed up rock and roll star) and “Suffragette” (playing Emmeline Pankhurst) looming on the horizon of 2015. Plus she has signed up to play Florence Foster Jenkins in a comedy about her life with Hugh Grant.

Is she as the meryl hater would say a great technician rather than a great actress? I’d say her committment to delivering the strongest case for her character to the audience means that sometimes she can be just be overlooked for her hair and accents but in most of her work she delves deep into her characters physical and inner life, she has great comic timing she will utilise at any given opportunity and still is able to produce and release deep wells of emotion or Meryl it up as we say in the business ha.

Thank you for sharing this long task with me! It’s been epic, its been great fun, its been a race!

Special thanks for my friends and family who watched some of the films with me. Plus extra special  thanks to Meryl Hater Bruno Collins (he knows why…) and to David Morgan for my GN tickets haha

THANKS EVERYONE!

AND THANKS MERYL!!

Peace out

B x

#48 INTO THE WOODS (2014)

HERE WE ARE!!!

LOOKS LIKE WE MADE IT!!!

I’ve now watched EVERY Meryl feature film she has appeared in. (Bar a couple exceptions)

From 1977 all the way through 48 films to 2014.

Strooth…!

And so for our finale we have a legit Sondheim musical INTO THE WOODS!

And Meryl is playing her very first witch. As she herself has said, she has played a lot of Bitches but never a Witch, despite the fact that apparently when she turned 40 she was offered 3 witch roles in one year and turned them down:

“This witch is quite different. First of all she transforms… her whole reason for being is to reverse a curse that has been placed on her and she sets in motion all sorts of devices to do it, she sets everybodies lives in upheaval and then she gets her wish and that’s only half way through. She doesn’t look like a witch anymore and then what…? Then it becomes where the fairytale becomes reality and in some ways becomes really exciting”.

The Film:

A Baker (James Corden) and his wife (Emily Blunt) are accosted by the witch next door (Streep) who says she is the one who has placed a curse on them that they can never have children. To reverse this curse she gives them the task of finding a cape as red as blood (Red Hiding Hood) hair as yellow as corn (Rapunzel) A shoe as pure as gold (Cinderella) and a cow as white as milk before the moon turns blue in 3 nights time. So off they go into the wood and on the way they meet several characters from fairy stories each who have their own separate wishes which sometimes jar with the bakers. Having received all the items they manage to break the spell and receive their wishes, only it may not be oh so happy ever after even for the witch herself…

First of all, I had never seen the stage musical so I had no expectations going in. I went with a legit Sondheim buff who I thought could give me a more knowledgable critique at the end.

The first 15 minutes are fab. I got reeeeally excited with its bouncy catchy fluid song and all the characters singing at once. Plus for the first time since ‘Plenty’ in 1985 we have Tracey Ullman back on Streep Race! The casting is all good bar Johnny Depp (weird half Wolf/half man costume) and James Corden who is ok but not on par with a brilliant Emily Blunt and of course the Streep-miester.

The second half isn’t as interesting or varied as the first. I thought maybe that was due to the direction but my Sondheim buff friend said she thought the 2nd half dips a bit anyway so maybe its a bit of both.

And What of our Meryl??

So of course Streep is fantastic. She gets to have a brilliant time in playing both the hag and the beautiful version of her character. She also gets to rock a groovy blue weave which she says was inspired by the King Bluebeard story.

Meryl’s last (and first musical) on film before this one was Mamma Mia and whilst we have seen her sing poppy rocky songs on film throughout her career before, this is BIG TIME stuff. Bernadette Peters originating the role you need a good voice on you and hats off Streepy sounds and looks very impressive. Her best song is probably Stay With Me but she also manages to get the weird and dissonant Last Midnight down to a tea. To see her sing very technical emotional songs (that aren’t ABBA) is a big surprise and its great to see how comfortable and great she sounds.

Her characterisation is funny as well. All hunched back and suitably theatrical. When she transforms I think the  direction lets her down a bit in not fully showing off what has happened (trust me to want a full Death Becomes Her like set piece haha).

It is Last Midnight where Meryl goes hell for leather and we see her reeeeeeally obviously having a lot of fun in being all ott and belting the trees down (literally).

Throughout her whole career streepy has played straightforward women complicated women egocentric and selfless women. This feels completely different in that in the same part she can be eeeeevil plus sympathetic as a over protective mother, plus uber glam and dangerous and funny all in one. It seems right that we end on this note (a musical note) as this role really celebrates what Meryl is best at and that is selling her character to the max.

This really is the main thing I’ve learnt from watching this person’s entire catalogue of work, that she is committed in presenting someone authentic but always interesting, always complex, always demanding and undermining of the audience’s first preconceptions of her character.

She has told a story whereby as a young girl she went to see Liza Minnelli onstage and she learnt a lot about acting from the way she sold her performance up to the gods and was never ‘interior’ or precious about it. You can see this influence throughout her career but none more so than the witch.

I wish the film itself was spectacular. Unfortunately it isnt. Its a great film but is let down by a couple things. Plus i hate the way James Corden speaks over Meryl’s final (crucial) song Children Will Listen. Ughh! And also whatever became of the song Sondheim wrote for her?

As it stands we are yet to know whether Streepy will recieve a 19th oscar nomination. She was nommed for a golden globe but lost to Patricia Arquette (bitch). No bafta nod so I think it is unlikely. Little matter this will still rank as one of meryls more memorable performances.

What a journey! What a Race! At the time of writing Streep has wrapped filming two films to be released 2015 plus scheduled to be in a film with Hugh Grant. It is still all go with no indication that she is slowing down or giving up!

One more post to go wherby we shall reveal my top 10 fav meryl performances!

Thanks for racing and Streeping with me!

WATCHING MERYL ON THE GRAHAM NORTON SHOW!

It was meant to be!

At the end of Streep Race I have seen the one and only in person!

So ’bout 2 weeks back I found out Meryl was going to be on the Graham Norton Show and instantly put the feelers out on how I could get in the audience…

(My dad always said I needed to be more of a pushy little sh1t)

Now I’m not bragging or anything…but…I have some pretty cool friends and through the gorgeousness of my mate who is ‘in the know’, highly fabulous and in (jazz hands at the ready) “show business” he managed to get me on the guest list! Although my friend who I went with and I had a brief moment of panic when it took a while for the list to be brought to the main reception (all while a humungous queue was forming round the corner outside) all was well, we were escorted to the studio like the celebs we really are and I had my name printed on the seats and everything! (Much to the curiosity of those sat around us). (“Yes we are very important friends of hers don’t you know….”)

First off, watching the show be taped was kinda fascinating. Its a very slick ship now, Graham was fantastic with the audience in getting us all excited and keeping us in the know of what was going on technically. It started with a hilairious set up with members of the audience chosen to be put in costume as Meryl characters (which they had to do 2 takes for). I’m glad I was sat on the other side to where they were picking people haha although I was on tender hooks the whole time as right before, my friend who I was with told me she had emailed the production team about this blog and they had gotten back to her saying they would look at it… (don’t worry, no one said anything).

So… seeing Meryl (for want of a better expression) in the flesh…Streepy had just been to the Into the Woods premiere in London and had hot footed it to the London Studios.

When she came out it was a little bit of a surreal moment. I’ve been blogging about this woman very intensively for 5 months and I’ve been an uber fan for 10 years… Seeing her there live was a bit crazy. I’m aware that it’s not that remarkable a thing to be in the audience of a tv show. I know people who have spoken to her (bastards), people who have been half-naked in front of her. And even people who have worked with her! This wasn’t very extrodinary compared to all that.

BUT IT WAS TO ME!!!

She spoke about Into the Woods of course. She was pretty much exactly what I thought she would be like on that show, a bit nonplussed but very sweet and fun. Graham seemed very excited (and a little nervous) of her being there.They did a hilarious skit about her range of accents which she was very much down for. She also mentioned her King Kong audition story. The most fascinating bit of trivia was her talking about how Stephen Sondheim wrote on her sheet music of a song he had written specifically for her: “Don’t fuck it up”….

The other guests James McAvoy and Mark Ruffalo were cool. although James McAvoy rambled a bit… I’m sure a lot of his anecdotes and jokes that fell a bit flat may be cut haha

The other funny bit was after all the guests had gone Graham had to do pick ups where he asked some questions to thin air, much to the amusement of the audience.

But yes… I have now seen Streepy in person… The woman this whole silly blog is about and my favouritetest actor ever ever ever. (what do I need to do now to be in a film with her? haha)

I didn’t think I’d be writing this post at the start of this blog…

Bring on INTO THE WOODS!!!!!!!

#47 THE HOMESMAN (2014)

OUR PENULTIMATE MOVIE ON STREEP RACE!!

And of course, we can’t not leave things without a DUD!

And can we just say WTF???

In case you didn’t know Streepy was a busy gal last year with 3 movies out but…

This is the smallest part Meryl has been involved with in a film (within the confines of Streep Race) since JULIA!! JULIA!!!! OUR 1ST FRIGGIN FILM!!! in 1977!!!!!!!!!!!

The amount of time Streepy is on screen must be less than 5 minutes. That’s shorter than Evening, even shorter than Manhattan. And like Evening if you’re only in it for Meryl, you have to wait until very near the end of the film to reach it.

So why is 18 Oscar nominated, living legend, Movie Icon, can-choose-whatever-she-wants Streep involved as a bitpart in this film?

Let’s see shall we…

The Film:

Marie bee Cuddy (Hilary Swank) lives on her own on a Nebraska farm in Western times. Continually rebuffed by men she lives a hard existence. When three married women in the area are sent mad by varying tragedies it falls to Cuddy to escort them in a wagon across country in a 5 week ordeal to Iowa where they can be looked after by Mrs Carter (Streep). On the start of her journey she stumbles across ne’er-do-well Briggs (Tommy Lee Jones) who is very near death if Cuddy doesn’t save him. She does but only on the condition that he help her on the journey to take these 3 mad ladies on the 5 week hike through Indian and Hillbilly land…

You may have seen the posters out for this. You may not have known Streepy was in it. I will spare you the trouble:

This film was SO DISSAPOINTING! Hailed by some as the first feminist western by the end I can’t see anything feminist about it. The first two thirds though are fantastic. Hilary Swank is on top form as a strong bare knuckles dirt under the nails gritty woman and the story is interesting enough. And then the story just sells out and makes it all about Tommy Lee Jones character (also directing). And it goes all dark and nasty. If the big bleak plot twist 2/3rds of the way in hadn’t happened and Hilary Swank’s character was the central focus throughout, this may have been a real groundbreaker in the Western genre.

But as it stands. The last third really does cancel out everything great before it making this a dud on Streep Race.

Talking of which…

What about Meryl??

So why is she even in this then?

Well… Tommy Lee Jones is directing, who she has said is ‘infallible’ after working with him in Hope Springs  Her scene is short but her character is the main protagonists goal throughout the whole film to get to. Plus her daugher Grace Gummer is one of the 3 women (who we haven’t seen since House of the Spirts 1993) and they get to share some screen time.

She plays the Reverends wife. All stereotypical smiles and caring looks. Anyone could’ve played this part. Having Streepy do it means the role has a certain GRAVITAS but still, we’re in Default Meryl Performance territory even in a funny bonnet. Whilst a dud usually means a bad streep performance, I can’t really call it a bad streep performance. But I’m calling it a dud anyway because even though she may have wanted to work with Jones it’s a pointles movie to be in at this stage in her career and I don’t want her playing bit parts in disappointing movies again thank you!

‘Goodbye bit parts, thanking you’

Our last movie should help restore things a little bit… Into The Woods was released today in the UK where she is one of the leads not a 5 minute cameo!

First up though a little excitement from yours trully…..

#46 THE GIVER (2014)

WE DID IT!!!! WE FINALLY DID IT!!!

WE’VE REACHED THE END OF STREEP RA-

Wait- what? We haven’t reached Into the Woods yet??

THERE’S STILL TWO MORE MOVIES TO GO TILL ‘INTO THE WOODS’????

OK, OK. Who remembers this one then?

It came and went in the UK during September and was forgotten like a sock in a cupboard. (not sure what that means).

More of a cult book in the USofA The Giver is a children’s book telling the story of a seemingly utopian futuristic community where there is no war, anger, differences, or colour. Literally. I had never heard of it but was interested to see what the big deal was all the same.

Plus Meryl has some weird hair going on and we all love a bit of weird Hair acting from Meryl….

The Film:

Jonah is about to graduate and find out what his ‘purpose’ is. In a large futuristic community where everything is controlled by the Chief Elder (Meryl) everyone takes a daily dose of medication and are chosen family units as well as jobs. Jonah is the only one for a generation assigned to be ‘the receiver of memory’ the only one in the community that can experience the memory of all of the past humanities joys and sorrows so that he can advise the elders in their decision making. Teaching Jonah is ‘The Giver’ (Jeff Bridges). However Jonah soon starts to become a rebel wanting to teach his friends what he has learnt…

Oh dear. First off, this film was Jeff Bridges baby. He had tried for 18 years to get it to screen and after the success of Hunger Games and the young adult novel adaptation genre ever-increasing the studio finally made it.

I was fully expecting this to be awful. We haven’t had a good ol’ dud for 7 years. But its worse. Its ok. Not dreadful not good. Just ok. Such a shame as we haven’t seen sci fi on this Race before.

What about Meryl? 

We are in default Meryl performance mode im afraid. But there aint much else she could do with this character anyway. She’s a kind of leader who can’t get too angry or joyful so she has to be kind of neutral icy. Streep can do that under the table.

This is a performance heavily influenced by a funky wig though:

Wig looking peripherally acting:

No messing with this wig acting:

Understanding wig acting:

More no messin’ wig acting:

This looks good in a bun wig acting:

So this is unfortunately a film that will be forgotten very quickly. It’s unfortunate as it’s heart is in the right place. It loo good. Acting is ok. But it’s just a bit boring to be honest.

NEXT!!

#45 AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY (2013)

“Do you really want to sign up to play someone with mouth cancer who is taking chemotherapy and is nauseous all the time, also is a drug addict, on pain pills and is mean as a snake, and whose children hate her, and whose husband hates her so much he wants to kill himself…? The reason I did this movie is because I have a great friend and she said to me “Meryl you had a great mother” and I did, I had a great mother, she said “You have to do this for all of us who didn’t. Who made it in spite of that” “

One of the most challenging roles Streepy has had in years (Iron Lady not included) the role of Violet in this movie is a mammoth undertaking to say the least….

The movie was originally a Pulitzer prize-winning play and the part was played to Tony award-winning acclaim. And as is Meryl’s habit she then took over!

A huge star-studded cast, a momentous role, a script that had been a hit on broadway and round the world we are in HEAVYWEIGHT DRAMA territory. But does it translate to the screen?

The film was marketed as a black comedy. And it is, to a point… But Meryl is back in transformative matriarchal form in another oscar bait role…

The Film:

After lauded poet Beverley Weston (Sam Shepard) goes missing, his family all come together to his home in Oklahoma. His wife Violet (Streep) a drug addict with mouth cancer systematically goes about to tell the truth in as nasty a fashion as possible, especially to her eldest daughter Barbara (Julia Roberts). A big secret in the family threatens to drive the whole family apart as Violet continues to drive her family away from her.

When I first saw this in the cinema I felt very conflicted by it. One, Streepy (of course!!) is awesome, I did have a little of the “Doubt” doubts coming in… Is she too knowing in her performance? The role itself requires huge histrionic over the top choices. Just look at the list of what she’s going through! But watching it again, no, streepy is awesome. The film as a whole however is let down by a very bland directional style. If the huge cast and script were all anyone was caring about then it shows. Nothing really gets going until the Epic 20 minute dinner scene which is impressive for Meryl’s performance alone. Playwright Tracey Letts had to cut an hour from the 3 hour script which leaves some characters with not a lot left to do, Ewan McGregor? Even Margot Martindale whose character is central to the films big plot twist.

What about Meryl??

Rest assured, for an ensemble piece that relies in fact on one central performance Meryl delivers the goods! This really is one of the most dramatic parts Meryl has ever had! You can’t help thinking of the words

ACTING!!!! DRAMA!!!!

Not that it isn’t funny. A lot of it is. And I’m reliably informed that the play was hilarious (not that one should but if you look on youtube you can find a recorded video of the play and the audience laugh throughout). It seems lots of the humour has either gotten lost, has become much more dark in its transfer to screen or just doesn’t work. Streepy isn’t funny just hugely intimidating. One thing that does seem more screen

In the script there was a line that says she was in her final chemotherapy and I remembered that was something that really jumped out at me,  I’m familiar with someones final chemotherapy, they’re in a certain state but in the play I don’t remember really feeling those final stages and that was valuable asking Tracey in terms of how she looked and her wig and it started me on trying to look like my sister and Elizabeth Taylor.

The actress who played her onstage was shrill, high voiced and bird like. Streepy is a low-voiced snarling beast! She also goes to town with looking like she is in the last stages of chemo along with her hideous Elizabeth Taylor wig and short rough hair underneath. There are scenes where she is very drugged up, scenes where she is calm, angry, a dragon, a little girl… there’s literally everything you could ask for as an actor for this role. It was not surprisingly exhausting to do though…

There are a few amazing scenes to talk about not least the dinner scene:

“I remember seeing the play and I thought how does that woman do that 8 times a week, and then I did it 18 times a day, that dinner scene, and we did it for 3 days, that was hard you get ready for it like the Olympics or something, but it’s what we live for, we love it, actors.

One of the most eye widening is “the boots” story. Letts says the character of Violet was based on his own grandmother and that the boots story is true. Jesus. And the director says they shot that in one take…

The cast all do their best to stand up to her with Julia Roberts doing some of her best work in years (I do love a crying while driving scene!). In fact all of the cast at one point or other have some crying to do. Benedict Cumberbatch!

The only scene I began to have my doubts with Streepys performance were with the bathroom scene… Meryl has said it was the hardest to work out for her as throughout the movie she was trying to map out where she was on her pain cycle and her ‘alleviation of pain cycle, how drugged she was or how needy’. She says that as they shot out of sequence that scene particularly was difficult to work out why she was so far gone so quickly from shooting a scene where she was “fine” in the kitchen moments earlier.

But generally this is top form Meryl stuff. You’d be hard pressed to find other roles similar to this one. Of course this led to Streepy’s 18th!!! Oscar nod (though Cate Blanchett beat her, bitch). It’s a shame then that the film as a whole doesn’t do justice to its performances. For the most part it got mixed reviews. A shame as the play was apparently A TRIUMPH!!! ahem.

When I watched it by myself at the cinema the ending completely overwhelmed me and I had my own Merylling moment on the way home haha

So not the filmic triumph they wanted it to be. But it’s interesting to me at this point, having watched Meryl throughout her career entering this new phase of being able to take on these big hifalutin parts. MORE OF THESE PLEASE!

#44 HOPE SPRINGS (2012)

Oh no!! Another sex comedy!!

Don’t worry people. We can do this.

Here is some disclaimers before you settle down to watch this romantic comedy/drama, say, with your parents:

1. Meryl and Tommy Lee Jones have a couple of “lurrve scenes”.
2. Meryl goes down on him in a theatrrrrrrrah! (ala Morrisette)
3. Meryl has a “private moment” scene. Yep. You ‘eard.

You also need to be warned of the excessive pop soundtrack that may bleed your ears.

Dont worry, all this is not taken too seriously. This is a comedy of awkward 60 somethings trying to rekindle their love life, not kama sutra for seniors after all.

Once you have this knowledge beforehand you may enter Hope Springs more informed and ready for its sweet, safe little story.

Sex comedies are quickly becoming a “thing” with Streepy with It’s Complicated 3 years prior. This is a far more believable affair however with Streepy and Jones portraying normal everyday Omaha Nebraska folk not the glamorous make believe Hollywood people of It’s Complicated.

The Film:

Kay (Streep) has been married to Arnold (Jones) for 31 years. However, she is finding it increasingly difficult to cope with the complete void of intimacy and affection that Arnold fails to give her. Spurred on by an impulse buy of a marriage counselling book by Dr Feld (Steve Carrell) she pays for his intensive couples counselling week in Maine much to the disgruntlement of Arnold. Over the intensive sessions they both are thrown way out of their comfort zone as they are both asked to become more intimate, feelings are thrown up that have become deeply buried and both have to ask if the marriage is worth saving…

Aw this is a sweet film. After the hefty heavyweight powerhouse nature of The Iron Lady, it seems right that Ms M would’ve wanted to relax a bit with a more lighter piece. And this quiet simple story would’ve fitted perfectly.

Directed by Devil Wears Prada director thingy mcthingy David Frankel, the casting seems all mismatched. Tommy Lee Jones starting off in type as the grumpy surly role but slowly softening and showing more of a sensitive side then many wouldn’t have seen before. Funny man Steve Carrell is an extremely odd choice as the straight faced non-part of the therapist. Only there to advance Kay and Arnolds story nothing is really tested of his character at all. Of course to work with Streep would’ve been draw enough.  But still. Odd.

Film as a whole is nice. Moments are funny. Moments feel drawn out. There is an annoying use of pop songs and a hideous misplaced Annie Lennox track right in the denouement (love that word, don’t know how you pronounce it) that makes me shudder with cringe…

But if willing to accept this is a film that won’t challenge or thrill or provide any form of profundity to you this is a moving delicate piece that got to me. Call me a soppy bastard. I know lots of people hate this film.

What about Meryl??

If you look back to her part in ‘Falling in Love’ in the 80s, this character reminds me of how that woman may gave turned out to be in her 50s or 60s. Timid, quietly spoken, not akin to bold adventure or illegal sex acts in movie theatrrrrrahs.

This is one of Meryls most ‘normal’ characters she’s played in aaaaages. Not a leader, succesful career woman, nun, singing songstress or public servant. Just a retail assistant. So from my point of view this is a really refreshing role.

Let’s not forget this film is funny. Although Streepy is in tears for a lot of it, you can be sure little touches for comedic effect aren’t going to go to waste.

And I joke about the ‘sex’. This is all very true stuff about people craving more intimacy or love. The scene in the hotel suite whilst starting out clumsy ends really sad. Streepy can do good ‘you don’t find me attractive anymore’ tears.

It seems rare that Streepy gets to play such a normal person with relatable issues. Nowadays the big parts she is offered tend to be extreme because lets face it. She is.

No surprises for no oscar nods. And no surprises for a golden globe nod in comedy performance haha.

Still, its crazy to think the studio felt comfortable releasing this kind of film in the summer. Everyone was sure of Meryl’s draw by now and now in her early 60s she can still lead a romcom and get great reviews.

We are so nearly there people!!!

#43 THE IRON LADY (2011)

OSCAR WIN!!!!

OSCAR WIN!!!!!

I say it again:  OSCAR WIN!!!!

Yes. It’s been a looooong time folks but Streepy, finally, after THIRTY years winning for Sophie’s Choice in 1982,  won her 3rd Oscar having sat through and lost through 14 ceremonies equalling this nomination as her 17th overall thus far!

And what a performance deservedly winning. A masterclass in transformation. A HUGE undertaking in portraying British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. not just in one time frame but having to age up to 86 as well as portraying her as education secretary in her 40’s. However is this one of her best performances in arguably one of her most patchy films…?

A film about the Iron Lady herself is always going to cause controversy. Lets have a look shall we?!

The Film:

86-year-old Margaret Thatcher is beginning to sort and throw away her late husband Dennis (Jim Broadbent) clothes and belongings. Living in a closely monitored environment she suffers from mild dementia, seeing and talking to her husband as if he were still alive. Her daughter Carol (Olivia Colman) advises her to see a doctor but her mother insists she is fine. This sorting of Denis’s belongings stirs up memories of her past in which she remembers the glory days and not so glory days of her life. With such a tumultuous past she struggles to let go of her loss of power and sanity as the apparition of her husband continues to get more and more aggravated by her want to move on.

A film about Margaret Thatcher is always going to divide people. Too in favour you risk alienating A LOT of people who hold a special contempt for her as someone who destroyed the lives of millions. Too far against and you risk caricature and alienating a whole different chuck of the audience who hold her in very high esteem not just as the person who brought Britain out of Cold War depression but also as the first woman in head of government in the Western World.

What this film attempts to do is make a biopic about Thatcher from a nonpolitical stand point to a more empathetic one. Choosing to focus on her “present day” life looking back, we get more of a highlight reel of her past. Whole sections of important historical significance in british history are presented in just a few minutes (the Falkland War takes under 9) No sooner do we see her as Education Secretary in the House of Commons, she is taking voice lessons and suddenly she is elected prime minister using a hefty dose of montages and real news footage. Where the film really breathes and takes its time is in older Thatcher.

Does this work?

To a point. Some people said it was a “ghoulish spectacle” to present how she might be with dementia given that at the time, she herself had not made any public appearance in 10 years.

Apparently the film originally was going to chart a much smaller time frame, detailing the events that lead up to the Falklands War. But apparently Streepy had A LOT of say in the script, and together herself, screenwriter Abi Morgan and director Phyllida Lloyd (yes Mamma Mia director) opted for this version. Some critics called it almost a Female Lear. But what it does do is to leave out much of the politics which for some misses the point completely in a biopic about such a political figure.

I don’t mind the focus on her struggle with dementia. But it seems the film flits too much between wanting to be one thing and then another. So ultimately whilst the performances are impressive and dare I say it moving the film doesn’t pack the punch it wants.

What about Meryl??

No matter what critics or audiences made of the film overall, all were unanimous in calling this one of Meryl’s best performances in years.

It’s a remarkable achievement. In the first seconds of the film we see her aged up to uncanny perfection as Margaret (when I saw in the cinema I remember people around me making audible gasps) and as soon as she starts speaking we all know we are in safe hands.

A few people bemoaned the fact that an American was playing someone so very very British. But this soon was quashed by Meryl’s awesome performance.

I didn’t know very much in the beginning. I was quite reductive in my assessment, as a young woman, I remember, because her politics didn’t dove tail with mine or my cohort, I remember in 79 when she was elected that we were all secretly thrilled that their was now a female head of government in Britain. And we thought if it could happen there… in America its seconds away…and of course wrong again. I started reading, reading reading reading and trying to learn more about a person that had been caricatured only in our press and in my own mind and easily emblematic of a certain kind of person.

Interestingly it is in the elder scenes of Margaret that Meryl really excels. If Oscar-winning makeup and prosthetics (half done by her long-term hair and make up man Roy Helland) was not enough, she manages not to only look and sound like her but she manages to live in and inhabit her mannerisms, little mumblings and most importantly empathise with her emotionally.

These are the scenes that are the most moving, in being told by her daughter that she isn’t Prime Minister anymore (excellent Olivia Colman) and towards the end where she finally lets go of her husband.

In reading about how she prepared I was shocked to discover that she only had a week!

Well I thought I’d have a lot more time to prepare because I felt, you know, some jobs demand a lot and some don’t . This one I thought we’re shooting  in February I better start getting ready in October but a series of events happened in my life, my husband had a couple of operations, my best friend died, it was the Christmas from hell and I didn’t prepare. I was trying to read as much as I could but I really couldn’t work on her. I was doing all the back work but not the interior work, the generative work, the work that you bring into the rehearsal hall I didn’t have time. SO when I first arrived in England we had one week of rehearsal and I shut myself up ion a room and sort of 24 hours a day became Margaret Thatcher. My make up man slid food on a tray underneath the cell door. I listened to her speeches I read her books I assumed her posture I sat and stood and walked there was nothing that wasn’t Margaret Thatcher in that room!

If you watch some of the B-Roll footage on youtube you can see her standing talking to Phyllida and it does seem she is staying in character…

It’s such a shame then that this performance is in a film that overall left many disappointed. This was going to be to Margaret Thatcher what “The Queen” was to…well the Queen. But it’s very safe to say that all problems are directorial and in the screen play. Not in the performances themselves. On the second day of shooting they filmed the cabinet scene near the end which is one of my favourites and is her in uber Thatcher mode. Uber unlikable, uber Meryl!!

“There are TWO Ts in comittee!”

Her oscar was by no means a sure win. The same year Viola Davis was hot on her tail as being the bookeys favourite in her role in The Help. She was also up against Michelle Williams for her portrayal of Marilyn Monroe and one of her closest friends Glenn Close.

BUT SHE WON HAHAHAHAA

FYI her speech is one of the sweetest speeches ever in which she thanks her husband first she says to avoid the music playing him out.

She also won the BAFTA and the Golden Globe. Is this the last Oscar she’ll receive? If she wins again she will be tied with Katharine Hepburn who won 4 in her lifetime. But still she is still by far the most nominated actor ever.

This role, whilst in a so-so film is without a shadow of a doubt one of her most impressive.