AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY REVIEW

*MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*

If you're looking for a drama film that is driven solely by the characters involved and enjoy watching families fall apart, look no further than August: Osage County. 

Violet Weston (Meryl Streep) has cancer and a propensity for pills and alcohol. She's a difficult woman to deal with and her husband has finally had enough. Violet's family gathers including middle daughter Ivy (Julianne Nicholson), youngest daughter Karen (Juliette Lewis) with her new fiancé (Dermot Mulroney), eldest daughter Barbara (Julia Roberts) with her separated husband (Ewan McGregor) and teenage daughter (Abigail Breslin), and her sister Mattie Fae (Margo Martindale) with her husband (Chris Cooper) and son (Benedict Cumberbatch) in tow. A family tragedy causes tensions to run high and secrets to come out. The Weston women will be forced to examine themselves and their lives whether they want to or not. Welcome to Osage County, Oklahoma in the sweltering heat of August.

I'd describe this film as a 120 minute long soap opera. Secrets get revealed, judgements are made and there are arguments and fights all around which makes for compelling viewing. As we watch the film, we make our own personal opinions and judgements of the characters and wonder what is going to happen. This film may be too upsetting for viewers who find family confrontations difficult to watch. Let me put it this way: the family in this film make it look like the families involved in soap operas have an easy going life.

For a film to be successful, the actors involved have to give an effective performance. Fortunately, every actor gives a strong performance. The two stand outs are Streep and Roberts who were nominated for an Oscar each for their performance. Being the extraordinarily talented actor she is, I'm yet to see Streep give a bad performance. This one is no difference. Violet is an offensive character and doesn't have a filter on what she says. If there's comedy to be found, it's from her one liners. Roberts gives an equally as good performance as her daughter. Their relationship is strained which causes most of the conflict in the film.

I'd say that this film is worth watching to see how the characters develop and the performances by the actors who play them. 

7/10