Review of Sophie's Choice (1982) by Olaolu A — 10 Jun 2009

A bona fide masterpiece that features arguably one of the all-time great female performances. This one deserves mention alongside not only the list of the best films of the 80's but perhaps of all-time and a significant portion of that has to do with Meryl Streep's bravura lead performance; honestly, there is only so much I can say about Streep's work that hasn't been said already.

Don't get me wrong; there is plenty in this film that is worthy of praise, including the powerfully-written screenplay and the superior direction as well as the choices made by the cinematographer.

Ultimately though, it's Streep that sends this movie shooting into the stratosphere. I've always known that she was a great actress but I never fully understood the extent of her capabilities until witnessing what she accomplishes here.

First of all, she gets the technical part of character down to a T. Not only does she affect a flawless (insomuch as I can tell at least) Polish accent but she speaks both Polish and German flawlessly.

However this is just icing on the cake; more important is the fact that Streep is emotionally in touch with her character and there is plenty of ground that she has to traverse here. As essayed by Streep, Sophie is a character full of complexities and contradictions, the likes of which aren't fully apparent until the film is nearly over.

Perhaps the scene where Streep's ability is the most evident would be the titular scene, where she is confronted with a decision that NO ONE should ever have to make.This is very difficult material even for the best of performers but never once is Streep found wanting.

Her's was an Oscar well-earned. The contributions of the other performers shouldn't be ignored however. Despite existing in Streep's shadow, both Kevin Kline and Peter MacNicol do solid work.

Kline, who was making his motion picture debut, shows hints of the comic and dramatic aptitude that would be highlighted in subsequent features (such as A Fish Called Wanda for which the actor won an Oscar).

His performance is a bit over-the-top but that's of necessity, especially once we realize the true nature of his character. On the other hand, MacNicol is given the film's least visible part and his low-key approach is perfect.

While it's Streep's and - to a lesser extent - Kilne's work that holds the audience's attention, in many ways, MacNicol's Stringo is our entry point into the story and ultimately, this is as much about his coming-of-age as it is about Sophie and Nathan.

However, as important as the acting is, the behind-the-scenes work is what provides the film's foundation. Stories in which the characters have to come to terms with personal tragedies, both past and present, are intrinsically compelling and the late Alan J.

Pakula, who both wrote and directed here, understands how to get maximum impact from this one. From a technical standpoint, his methods aren't especially showy, but they fit the proceedings tighter than a surgical glove.

The sense of time and place is impeccable and certainly in sync with how one would imagine life to have been like in Brooklyn immediately after World War II. The cinematography, courtesy of an Oscar-nominated Néstor Almendros, only serves to strengthen this illusion.

During the present-day scenes, the color-scheme is somewhat bright and colorful albeit not to the point of garishness (thankfully). On the other hand, the flashback scenes (particularly the ones that take place in Auschwitz) are rather bleak and monochromatic.

It is to the credit of everyone involved that all of this work complements the characters and their story without detracting from it. Ultimately, its the plight of Sophie, Nathan and Stingo that keeps the eyes of the audience riveted to the screen and Pakula and his cast-and-crew understand this.

The end result is a film of stunning power that may not be enjoyable in the traditional sense, but will satisfy anyone with a hunger for emotionally-resonant but non-manipulative drama that doesn't cop-out when it comes to its characters and the audience.