Review of August: Osage County (2013) by Harry W — 11 Feb 2014

August: Osage County is a film that reveals literally nothing about itself from its title, but since it scored Meryl Streep and Julia Roberts Academy Award nominations and had an excellent cast, it simply had to be seen.

August: Osage County is an imperfect film. Namely, it's story is pretty thin since the importance comes from the dialogue and the characters which ensures that it stays within such a small scale and predominantly the setting of essentially one house with a few scenes going outside the area, but even then it has a bit much for its own good. I mean the story proves confusing from time to time, because there is so much to take in. There is so many characters with their own stories which is where the true essence of the dramatic storytelling comes into play, but since their stories are never subplots in the film and all just plots of their own it app feels like a little too much narrative packed into one film. That can prove to be overwhelming at times, and since some of the dramatic aspects seem rather forced or far-fetched, it makes the viewer more weary to the impact of it.

Also, the dark comedy elements are difficult to pick up on and are likely to vary from person to person depending on what gender people are or context they have grown up in. And so for viewers they're likely to be hit and miss at many different times.

But the dramatic elements of August: Osage County are shockingly powerful. It deals with some serious drama, some serious drama that people are likely to encounter a lot in their lives as a consequence of complicated family relationships. It deals with its familial themes in a strongly realistic manner by displaying the endeavour of family relationships. And it takes the drama head on without ever descending into the territory of melodrama or overnight resolution. The film is very pessimistic and nihilistic, and it's one of the few to display the concept of a real family in cinema. I found that August: Osage County was like the British comedy Death at a Funeral without any of the elements of comedy or resolution, and that it's scripted very well and acted perfectly. While it's a flawed film, the acting is a complete exception to that.

If Meryl Streep wasn't credited as the lead in August: Osage County, then it would take a while before I would recognise her, because when she first appears on screen she looks more like a tall Mickey Rooney than Meryl Streep at first, and later she looks like Anne Heche in 30 years. Either way, is not anything like Meryl Streep would look, and when she puts her wig on she dons the personality of someone else. She essentially plays two characters in August: Osage County, one which is the true side to the character Violet Western as a sick woman on the skin and bones of what is left of her, and the other is a facade she uses to hide her frailty which she does mostly and simply has to let out the affects of the drugs her character takes. And it is so powerful because it feels like she is actually playing two different characters, and it takes seeing the frail side of her again to see that. How Meryl Streep played two characters within the performance of one character I will never know, but it's safe to say that it's because she is one of the greatest actresses of all time and deserves nothing short of an Academy Award nomination for the role. It's definitely one of her best, and I'm saying that about a woman who has 3 Oscars from 18 nominations, and it's great to see her working so powerfully in such a small scale dramatic story. She is nothing but flawless and impeccably powerful in her line delivery, her physicality and every little element that an actor needs to have to succeed. And her chemistry with Julia Roberts is so emotionally intense that it feels like a genuine realistic mother-daughter relationship with all the actual drama to it that the films never cover.

Julia Roberts is incredible in August: Osage County because she has never been so fierce on film in her many years, and that includes her powerful Academy Award winning performance as Erin Brockovich in the 2001 biopic of the same name. She has to deliver a relentless emotional performance in the role of Barbara Weston-Fordham which is dominating and even intimidating in the strength she puts into her line delivery. I mean it's all still the same Julia Roberts, but it's her at her most emotionally intense ever. It's the best dramatic side you would ever see to her and you would never expect it. But in August: Osage County, there it is. She has an incredible gripping power over the audience matched only by the tenacity she has over her character, and she has frankly never given a more interesting performance in her whole career. Her performance earns nothing short of an Academy Award nomination which is one she more than deserved.

Juliette Lewis doesn't take long on screen before she clarifies that her character is a person that can't shut up and simply has to annoy the audience so that they understand what it's like to be in the same room as her. And it truly works. I mean, some people will find her annoying, but it's easy to appreciate the fact that her acting talents make her find the fine line between being annoying and going overboard, so that she causes a little grief but nowhere near as much that someone like Kathy Griffin would in the role. It's great to see Juliette Lewis return to a large role on screen again and to see her performing so well, because after the annoyance wears off we see a true side to her character which is really likeable. The fact that she can't stop talking reveals that she is an open person, and the more she opens up in many ways the more she shows off an immense charm and friendliness in her character. She really does her finest job in a long time.

Abigail Breslin proves that age is on her side as her talents grow alongside her as an actress in August: Osage County. While she is an actress memorable for her efforts as a child in films such as Little Miss Sunshine, she displays that she has the ability as an actress to transition into more mature roles as she grows, and she never misses a beat with her line delivery. Abigail Breslin give a strong juvenile performance which even matches up to the talents of some of the more senior cast members.

Julianne Nicholson and Margo Martindale do their best as well, helping the drama of the story stay true in its slightly lesser dramatically impacting scenes.

Ewan McGregor supplies a small rich of extra drama to the story himself in August: Osage County, and he does it well with a strong emotional hold over his line delivery.

Chris Cooper gives one of the finest performances he gives in a long time in August: Osage County, particularly when he delivers his soliloquy towards the end of the film. He reminds us just what tenacity he has as an actor which made him win the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor in his last collaboration with Meryl Streep, Adaptation. He is a fine supporting actor in August: Osage County.

Benedict Cumberbatch is so far from what he is best at in August: Osage County since his greatest talent is for portraying the wise and sophisticated Sherlock Holmes on the TV series Sherlock which he does so flawlessly, and yet he absolutely perfectly nails the neuroticism and awkwardness of the character "Little Charles" Aiken so that he comes out giving a strong performance, and you could expect nothing less. He is chock full of surprises as an actor.

Sam Shepard does a fine effort as well.

The importance in August: Osage County simply rests on its themes and it's incredible acting, particularly Meryl Streep and Julia Roberts. And while it can overwhelm or underwhelm in certain filmmaking aspects, it's still an effective drama.