I’m pretty flipping excited about August: Osage County, I’m not going to lie. I did a write up onits Oscar prospects earlier in the year after reading the play (I also saw it in production four years ago with Estelle Parsons). The trailer came out earlier this year and left much to be desired, but hasn’t curbed too much of the enthusiasm many hold for this film. Producer Harvey Weinstein has been squirming like a fish this season, placing bids on all kinds of films, when he already has so much to deal with already. He’s really taking the “throw spaghetti against the wall and see what sticks” metaphor to to heart. He has a critically well-received but low-grossing Summer film from Sundance (Fruitvale), a mid-budget affair with averaging reviews that made money at the box-office (Lee Daniels’ The Butler), another film that is getting decent, but not empathetic reviews and has good to questionable box-office prospects (Philomena), a seemingly slightly lesser film (Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom), and he just bought Can a Song Save Your Life at TIFF (which apparently will be released next year). This leaves August, this year’s prize horse, however, as his Christmas-time release. The entertaining, yet dark drama was adapted by its own playwright Tracy Letts for the silver screen. It stands to do well, yet probably will not reach the box-office of The Butler or the reviews of Fruitvale, but perhaps find the best balance between the two. Meryl Streep and probably Julia Roberts’ names, with a respectable anticipation factor will be enough to vault it anywhere from $40M - $60M.
Domestic dramas with a comic flare like American Beauty, Secrets & Lies, and The Kids Are All Right aren’t that common in the Best Picture race, but they happen. August’s surest bests for nods are Streep and Adapted Screenplay, though if the actress is campaigned in supporting and makes it in, that will leave room for Roberts as the lead nominee; but, really, that rumor will be soon put to bed for good, I imagine. As far as other supporting possibilities, Julianne Nicholson, Chris Cooper, and Margo Martindale spring to mind, though only one of them seem fathomable at best (especially if you consider that Harvey has his hands full with Oprah Winfrey, and Octavia Spencer in the Best Supporting Actress race). So strange to think that a movie with so many juicy roles will end up only scoring possibly only one acting nod. What would be so odd for TWC to build a campaign around Cooper or Benedict Cumberbatch (or, even less so, Martindale)? But, even with two nominations, TWC could still sell it as a BP-nominee. Unless critics and audiences embrace this movie at an unprecedented level, it’s hard to imagine that it will become a contender for director and editing, though. Score might be an option, as far as the technicals, as it’s very easy to underestimate for such categories as cinematography and production design (it’s set mostly in a house).
Script Review (spoilers)
I can’t imagine this being another Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf. August is good, but not that good. The script betrays more of the story's mechanics and wild antics than the play. Everything plays out like clockwork and there's more intent in the plot to titillate the audience rather than organic grounding of each character. The revelations that produce themselves throughout are of varying degrees of shock, but ask little of the audience as far as investing themselves in what they're watching, making me even more hesitant of its Oscar chances in the acting department. It's not easy to read, as it's very depressing, with a setting that offers little optimism. In this heartland, U.S.A, everything on the surface is quiet and unassuming, but a tornado of anger and resentment brews underneath. Attempting to make a positive spin here in August's cynical world is futile. Even martyr Barbara, who has the audience's good-will intact for most of the play finally breaks and repeats the sins of her ancestors in a rather subtle moment. If she's doomed, we all are. And she's hanging by a thread.
So, Letts' retains his pessimism, but also the brilliant fun in his dialogue. There are a lot of great one-liners, and this movie should be a guaranteed roller-coaster of fun. But, at the very end, there's going to be a very sour aftertaste. I also realized just how much of a small-scale feel this has ... on paper. Granted, this is set in Tulsa, Oklahoma, but I'm hoping that director John Wells can bring some emotional and topical poignancy to the story that will make it more relevant than the script suggests. We’ll know more tomorrow when it debuts at TIFF.
Script Review (spoilers)
I can’t imagine this being another Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf. August is good, but not that good. The script betrays more of the story's mechanics and wild antics than the play. Everything plays out like clockwork and there's more intent in the plot to titillate the audience rather than organic grounding of each character. The revelations that produce themselves throughout are of varying degrees of shock, but ask little of the audience as far as investing themselves in what they're watching, making me even more hesitant of its Oscar chances in the acting department. It's not easy to read, as it's very depressing, with a setting that offers little optimism. In this heartland, U.S.A, everything on the surface is quiet and unassuming, but a tornado of anger and resentment brews underneath. Attempting to make a positive spin here in August's cynical world is futile. Even martyr Barbara, who has the audience's good-will intact for most of the play finally breaks and repeats the sins of her ancestors in a rather subtle moment. If she's doomed, we all are. And she's hanging by a thread.
So, Letts' retains his pessimism, but also the brilliant fun in his dialogue. There are a lot of great one-liners, and this movie should be a guaranteed roller-coaster of fun. But, at the very end, there's going to be a very sour aftertaste. I also realized just how much of a small-scale feel this has ... on paper. Granted, this is set in Tulsa, Oklahoma, but I'm hoping that director John Wells can bring some emotional and topical poignancy to the story that will make it more relevant than the script suggests. We’ll know more tomorrow when it debuts at TIFF.
Plot Summary (spoilers)
(From March 2012 script) Story begins with Beverly Weston (Sam Shepard) narrating over shots of Oklahoma. We then see him in his study interviewing a caretaker Johnna (Misty Upham) to help around the house, especially since his wife Violet (Meryl Streep) has developed mouth cancer, and he's about to, well, make a life-changing decision that will affect the Weston household. Violet wakes up and drops by the room in a drugged-out haze. It’s not a perfect marriage. Far from it. But, for what it’s worth, it works for them, at least, up until now.
Ivy Weston (Julianne Nicholson) calls her sister Barbara Fordham (Julia Roberts), who is awakened by her daughter Jean (Abigrail Breslin) to come travel back to their hometown due to family emergency. Ivy tends to her mother when Aunt Mattie Fae (Margo Martindale) and Uncle Charlie Aiken (Chris Cooper) arrive. Ivy greets them and then checks back in with her mother, who has just received a call that her husband’s boat is missing. Barbara drives with her husband Bill (Ewan McGregor) and daughter Jean to the Weston household. On the way there, Barbara comments, "What were these people thinking ... the jokers who settled this place. Who was the asshole who saw this flat, hot nothing and planted his flag? I mean, we fucked the Indians for this?" More greetings. Jean meets Johnna. Mattie Fae and Charlie head back to Tulsa to take care of their dogs. Violet explains to Barbara and Bill that she waited a couple of days to report Beverly missing, because she wanted to dispose of valuables in their safety deposit box in case something had happened to him. Violet and Barbara get into an argument and, when the two of them have a private moment, Violet has a minor breakdown.
Later, upstairs, Jean smokes herself out while exposing her dirty laundry to a reluctant Johnna. She explains how they’re going through a divorce and how much it has affected her mother, “I don’t know what it is about Dad splitting that put Mom on hymen patrol.” Bill pulls a copy of Beverly’s most famous book of poems Meadowlark. He has a moment with Barbara, who explodes in a rage over her philandering husband. “Do me the courtesy of recognizing when I’m demeaning you.” Bill stands up to her only for Barbara to cut him down again, “Psychoanalyze me right now, I skin you … You can’t talk about me for two seconds—“ Bill: “You called me a narcissist! … I’m here, now.” “Oh, men always say shit like that, as if the past and the future don’t exist.” Things end on an unresolved note, as most everyone has gone to bed. On Skiatook Lake, Beverly, out on his boat, jumps into the water to meet his end.
While it’s still night, Sheriff Deon (Will Coffey) arrives to deliver the report of Beverly’s probable suicide, the body of which was caught accidentally by fisherman. As the family gets ready to identify the body, Violet listens to Eric Clapton “Lay Down Sally” downstairs. On the way to the body, Barbara shares with Bill that she used to date Deon. “Thank God we can’t tell the future. We’d never get out of bed.” She tells her daughter, “Die after me, all right? I don’t care what else you do, where you go, how you screw up your life, just … survive. Outlive me, please.”
On the way to the funeral, the Westons are passed by a sports car, containing sister Karen (Juliette Lewis) and her current fiancée Steve Heidebrecht (Dermot Mulroney). “That must be this year’s man.” Later, Karen explains her original approach to relationships, “The things he did wrong were just opportunities for me to make things right. If he cheated on me or called me a cunt, I’d think, ‘No, love is forever, so here’s an opportunity to make an adjustment in the way you view the world.'” Back at home, Mattie Fae and Violet pick out a dress for Ivy and talk about her cousin Little Charles (Benedict Cumberbatch) missing the funeral. Bill, Steve, and Jean travel to the liquor store. The women share a moment looking at old photographs while Violet feels sorry for herself. “Think about the last time you went to the mall and saw some sweet little gal and thougt she’s a cute trick. What makes her that way? Taut skin, firm boobs, and an ass above her knees.” Mattie Fae says she still thinks of herself as sexy to which Violet responds, “You’re about as sexy as a wet cardboard box.” Mattie Fae drums up some exceptions to the rule of old ladies not being sexy to which Violet responds, “The world is round. Get over it.” The subject turns to Ivy’s dating life. While driving back, Steve tells Bill about his line of work and they spot Little Charles. They arrive back at home and Jean plops herself in front of the television. Uncle Charlie picks up Little Charles at the bus station. Barbara takes Bill out of the house to have an argument. Violet pops pills while going through mementos.
The entire family sits down for a meal. Little Charles drops the casserole dish and ruins Mattie Fae’s contribution. Violet makes a comment on the men’s suit coats being off, “I thought we were having a funeral dinner, not a cockfight.” Steve takes a call during the middle of grace. Jean explains her reasons for vegetarianism: “When you eat a meal, you ingest an animal’s fear.” Violet makes a joke out of it: “Where’s the meat?” She’s just getting started when Steve tells her he has been married three times. “You should pretty much have it down by now, then.” Then, she moves on to Karen, “Shame on you! Don’t you know not to say Cowboys and Indians? You played Cowboys and Native Americans, right Barb?” Charlie makes a joke and pretends something is wrong and then says, “I got a big bite of fear! I’m shakin’ in my boots! Fear never tasted so good.” Barbara joins him, “I catch her eating a cheeseburger every now and again … double cheeseburger, bacon, extra fear.”
Violet brings up the will and tells the girls that though it wasn’t documented, Beverly was going to leave everything to her. She offers to sell some valuable items to her daughters before selling it to which Barbara replies, “Or you might never get around to the auction and then we can just have it for free after you die.” Violet returns with bringing up Barbara’s impending divorce, and then starts delivering a list of “truth-tellin.” Charles admits that he didn’t set his alarm to make the funeral on time. Violet produces a bottle of pills which incites Barbara to wrestle them from her possession. Barbara succeeds and then begins an impromptu intervention.
They put their mother to bed and then take off in Steve’s car. They have drinks at a Mexican restaurant and talk. Barbara: “’Greatest Generation,’ my ass. Are they really considering all the generations? Maybe there are some generations from the Iron Age that could compete. What makes them so great, anyway? Because they were poor and hated Nazis? Who doesn’t fucking hate Nazis?” The subject of Ivy’s relationship to Charles comes up, as well as her having cervical cancer. They visit Skiatook Lake. Ivy talks clinically about their fathers death, as well as her plans to leave town with Charles. “I can’t believe your world view is this dark,” Karen says.” Ivy: “You live in Florida.” Back at the house, they find Violet having a smoke and she tells them a heartbreaking story about the cruelty of her mother and Raymond Qualls, a boy she had a crush on in her youth.
The next morning, Barbara asks Johnna about Beverly. After she replies, she says, “That makes me feel better. Knowing that you can lie.” At the doctor’s office, Dr. Burke informs the daughters that Violet has brain damage, and recommends taking guardianship over her and placing her in a care facility. Barbara responds with throwing all of the prescription medication bottles he authorized at him. On the way back home, Violet has Barbara pull over so she can be sick. She ends up starting to run away. Barbara catches up with her and they return home. Little Charles plays a song for Ivy. Mattie Fae lays into Little Charles, and then her husband lets her have it. Barbara confirms with Mattie Fae about Little Charles’ relationship with Ivy. Mattie Fae admits to Barbara that Beverly is Little Charles’ biological father. Steve crosses some boundaries with Jean while they get high. He lacks all self-awareness, “I’m white and over thirty. I don’t get in trouble.” Johnna discovers them and attacks Steve with a skillet. The commotion draws everyone downstairs. Barbara attacks Steve and Bill pulls her back. The parents interrogate Jean. When her fourteen year come up, she tells her father, “Which is only a few years younger than you like ‘em,” eliciting her mother to slap her. Karen makes excuses for Steve: “I’m not blaming her … I’m saying she might share in the responsibility.” Bill leaves for Colorado with Jean. Sitting down for lunch, temperatures quickly rise again when Violet won’t eat. Barbara: “Eat the fish, bitch!” Barbara keeps interrupting Ivy who wants to tell her mother about her relationship with Little Charles. Violet finally blurts out that she knows they’re half brother and sister. “Better you girls know now though, now you’re older. Never know when someone might need a kidney.” Ivy leaves in tears. Violet reveals that she could have stopped Beverly from killing himself. Barbara leaves in the rain. Violet plays Clapton while Johnna comforts her. Roll credits.
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