Review of Ricki and the Flash (2015) by Kirk V — 28 Jul 2015

To me Meryl Streep can do no wrong and her talents know no bounds. However, that doesn't mean she should do any script that comes her way. Having already proven her musical chops in "Postcards from the Edge," "Mamma Mia," and last year's magical "Into The Woods," we know Meryl can breathe life into song as well as any dialogue.

So why exactly she signed on to do "Ricki and the Flash" is the film's underlining mystery which you will keep wondering throughout it. Not that the film is bad, it's just...nothing.

No real storyline aside from the setup you know from the commercials and no real character development other than what a cast of fine actors try desperately to bring without the help of a fully explored screenplay.

Which is surprising considering that Diablo Cody, Oscar winner for "Juno," wrote the film and Oscar winner Jonathan Demme directed with his customary forced cultural diversity which in fact negates his good intentions by becoming so contrived and deliberate in its execution.

Even a trip to Ricki's workplace, Total Foods, an obvious Whole Foods stand-in, feels like a calculated diversity lesson from Central Casting instead of something organic. Demme was smart, however, to cast actors with enough truth and depth to make audiences care, at least for a little bit.

Mamie Gummer, Meryl's real life daughter, rises to the occasion beautifully, finding dimensional, humor, and a history of complex emotions in regard to her recent divorce and her mother's lifelong absence.

Meryl's "Sophie's Choice" co-star Kevin Kline brings his patented charm that lies beneath stuffiness, while it seems absurd to cast Audra McDonald in a film with music and not have her sing, but I'll take this theatre goddess on screen any way I can.

Cameos by Bill Irwin and Charlotte Rae are fun if a bit bizarre and Rick Springfield, or what's left of his surgically enhanced face, surprises with a deeply felt, natural performance as Ricki's bandmate and lover.

I just kept wishing something, anything, would happen. And when (spoiler alert!) everything is conveniently resolved by a Bruce Springsteen song, instead of being touched, I kept thinking it made more sense when Meryl belted The Winner Takes It All before cascading up a giant Greek mountaintop.

But she'll always be a dancing queen.