Review of Streamers (1983) by Steven C — 11 May 2011

The string of films Robert Altman made during the 1980s ("Come Back to the Five and Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean," "Secret Honor," "Fool for Love," "Beyond Therapy") were all adaptations of stage plays.

Altman attempted to blur the line between stage and screen by sticking almost exactly to the staging, sets, dialogue and structure of the plays. Of course, he brought his filmic sensibilities to each picture, always emphasizing the aspects Altman deemed most important.

While none of the films are particularly successful, it's still a worthy experiment. As for "Streamers," it's a difficult film. Unfortunately, it's not difficult because of the subject matter (the Vietnam War, homosexuality, racism) but because the actors over act, the film feels stagey and claustrophobic, and there just ins't anything to truly hold your attention.

While it's one of Altman's more complex (failed) experiments it's also a very uncomfortable 2 hours (and not in the good way "3 Women" or "Images" is).