AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY (2014) – Movie Review ★★★★

August: Osage County stars Meryl Streep, Julia Roberts, Chris Cooper, Ewan McGregor, Benedict Cumberbatch, Juliette Lewis, Abigail Breslin, Dermot Mulroney, Sam Shepard, Julianne Nicholson, Margo Martindale and Misty Upham – Written by Tracy Letts, brought to the screen by John Wells (The Company Men) and based on the Pulitzer Prize–winning play of the same name August: Osage County takes a look at the lives of the Weston family, whose paths reunite after a family crisis brings them all back together to the house they all grew up in, and to the dysfunctional woman who raised them – VERDICT Compelling, Exhausting, Depressing and Chaotic just a few words to describe my experience with John Well’s big screen adaption of August: Osage County – I’ve seen some great performances by an actress in 2013/14 but Meryl Streep’s Violet is by far & away the best of the bunch, her passion & energy in displaying the vast emotions of the cancer stricken, pill popping mum who’s pretty much angry or drugged up the majority of the time is fabulous to watch – Julia Roberts gives her best acting display since Erin Brokovich playing the eldest daughter and Chris Cooper, the ever reliable Margo Martindale and Julianne Nicholson are all superb in support – some of my favorite scenes in the movie include that moment when Charlie aka: Chris Cooper says Grace at the dinner table, the wonderful moment when young Charlie sings to Ivy and that delightfully funny scene with Violet, Barbara and Ivy around the table “Eat the Fish Bitch” whilst Ivy is trying to tell her mum that she’s in love with young Charlie – overall August: Osage County is not just a platform for A-List actors to strut their stuff, it’s a beautiful at times depressing story of a dysfunctional family brought together in a time of crisis and what plays out is like a roller coaster ride, that’s intense, riveting and altogether emotionally exhausting….