Newer movies are better than older movies.
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ToastedCheese — 4 years ago(November 15, 2021 01:06 PM)
…whenever somebody says that Meryl Streep is the greatest actress alive, I think that's kind of a dumb statement. To me it shows a lack of original thought. And besides that, Streep has no depth in her characterizations. She has incredible versatility and she is an amazing mime, but there is never any soul in what she is doing.
It is not an absolute craft/skill and its like Streep has been given all the cards to hold in this arena. All hype that she has received and any avid film/acting student and historian could break down the Streep "greatest" attribute claim in a second.
I do not want to undermine Streep for her contributions to screen-acting and I have also been awed by some of her film performances, I just don't often see her as being real or organic enough to make her roles something extra special.
Look at what Shelley Duvall offers us and gives in
3 Women
, who is the same age as Streep. Streep wouldn't have dared represent Millie as an uber-flawed, awkward and kooky clueless chick.
For her drama's, I love her in
The Deer Hunter
,
Silkwood
,
Out Of Africa
and
A Cry In The Dark
and she is most natural in
Heartburn
and amusing in
She Devil
, a performance of hers that has grown on me over the years.
She just lacks something authentic at times and that is her ego coming through as though she wants to impress upon others with her skill.
Streep is not a brave actress as such.
Norman! What did you put in my tea? -
I love hutch — 4 years ago(November 15, 2021 01:35 PM)
Streep wouldn't have dared represent Millie as an uber-flawed, awkward and kooky clueless chick.
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Yes, Streep would not have, as you said, bravery to attempt such a role as Millie. That's an interesting assessment of her.
I enjoyed your list of what movies you liked her in. My favorite Streep performances would be "The Deer Hunter", "Defending Your Life", "One True Thing", "A Cry in the Dark" and "Heartburn". I do like "She Devil" overall. I always laugh when Meryl finds a gummy bear in her hair.
I will never stop wondering what would have happened if Kate Jackson had been able to play Joanna Kramer. You know she would have probably gotten an Oscar nomination. Damn. I felt bad for her not being able to take the role.
Streep is also stunning in "Sophie's Choice" and I can't take my eyes off her in the movie and I understand why she won the Oscar, but Danny Peary did not even afford her an Oscar nomination for her performance, and I think it is because her acting achievement as Sophie Z. allows Streep to do all the things that she does best, while at the same time her flash and dazzle undermines the weight of the character's tragedy.
Streep also uses all her bag of tricks in "Silkwood" and while I enjoy watching her act, I find it to be one of her emptiest performances. Also, Diana Scarwid acting weird as usual.
About another actress, I know for a fact that you would have given the Oscar to Jessica for her searing performance in "Frances" and I cannot argue with that. Danny Peary also gave it to Lange. When she throws the old woman down on the stairs and says she will kill her if she doesn't leave her alone, the veins are popping out of her neck. Raw rage. Damn. It's the female equivalent to Jack Nicholson choking the Bitch Ratchet. Those two scenes get me out of my seat. Lange's acting style is almost diametrically opposed to Streep's style of acting.
"My life is over. I might as well dance with Johnny Slash!" -
ToastedCheese — 4 years ago(November 15, 2021 02:01 PM)
I laugh a lot in
She Devil
and while I am also on Ruth's side and I like Barr in this, Streep does also manage to make her fake Mary Fisher sympathetic too and some of the looks she gives are priceless.
Fisher, being a caricature role to begin with, it perfectly suited her acting technique and she relishes it with aplomb.
I need to see
One True Thing
again to make any informed judgement. Its one of those sad movies that I'm not in the mood to see at present.
Defending Your Life
is charming and Streep is quite lovely here too. She just appeared like part of the background furniture though, while my main attention in this film is on Grant and Torn who are both terrific.
Streep also uses all her bag of tricks in "Silkwood" and while I enjoy watching her act, I find it to be one of her emptiest performances. Also, Diana Scarwid acting weird as usual.
I have often rated
Silkwood
as my fave/best Streep performance. I love what she does in this film, although she needed more lessons on how to smoke a cigarette with skilled ease. Fonda I found was the same awkward self with the cancer stick in
Agnes Of God
.
Scarwid is just all over weird pronto as an actress, though I do need to see her in
Inside Moves
.
…Lange. When she throws the old woman down on the stairs and says she will kill her if she doesn't leave her alone, the veins are popping out of her neck.
Raw rage
. Damn.
Streep acts all over the place in
Sophie's Choice
and while an admirable performance, it was nowhere near the searing and raw quality that Lange portrayed in
Frances
.
Lange understood her Frances, Streep dressed up her Sophie characterization too much and couldn't ever do the anger that Lange portrayed. Sophie was too much lamb and not enough wolf raging underneath.
Norman! What did you put in my tea? -
MortSahlFan — 4 years ago(November 15, 2021 01:41 PM)
Very good point about her not wanting to take on challenging and/or roles that show vulnerability.
Her performance and accent is so awful in that movie with Clint Eastwood (Bridges On Madison County?)
https://www.patreon.com/LoyalOpposition -
ToastedCheese — 4 years ago(November 15, 2021 02:06 PM)
I find Bridges dreary and its a shame, because Streep has some good moments with what she does with her bored Italian farm housewife. She does make her Francesca a nice character who chooses to do the most appropriate thing.
I'm just not really that invested in these characters lives and I hate how her grown up children are portrayed. Her son is just obnoxious.
Norman! What did you put in my tea?