The family is the bedrock of civilization. The intimate interactions and bonds that people form between members of their family enable them to develop in society. Of course, the family is also the most unstable institution in the entire world as the familiarity between individuals can breed the contempt that ultimately tests the familial ideal. John Wells' "August: Osage County" brings these concepts into focus with an all-star cast that features Meryl Streep, Julia Roberts, Chris Cooper and Benedict Cumberbatch among others.
The disintegration of the family is at the core of the film and this destruction gets going right from the opening when Beverly Weston (Sam Shepard) mysteriously disappears, leaving his wife Violet (Meryl Streep) all alone in their house in the seeming middle of nowhere. Enter Violet's daughters as well as her sister and her brother-in-law for what eventually turns out to be Beverly's funeral. Throughout this unexpected reunion, the family's tensions will come to fore and explode in unexpected ways.
Wells and screenwriter Tracy Letts (who also wrote the original play on which this film is based on) manage to give each of the major characters solid introductions on screen that enable the viewer to connect and understand their individual circumstances. Barbara (Julia Roberts) is going through marriage issues with her husband Bill (Ewan McGregor); Ivy (Julianne Nicholson) has a secret relationship with her cousin Charles (Cumberbatch) and her sister Karen (Juliette Lewis) is trying to start a new family with Steve (Dermot Mulroney), a sleazy fellow with an interest in Barbara's younger daughter Jean (Abigail Breslin). Additionally, Violet's sister Mattie Fae (Margo Martindale) and her husband Charlie (Cooper) also have some problems of their own.
At the heart of the story is the ever-increasing struggle between Barbara and Violet. With the passing of Beverly, Violet has become the center of the family. Barbara, with her own marriage issues is looking to seize control over her life; this is manifested in her seeming power struggle with her mother. The development of this narrative starts off with subtle jabs from Violet toward Barbara about the frustrations the latter caused for her father. They slowly develop into more brutal remarks until they erupt into pure physical violence; by the end of the film, Barbara is spewing expletives at her mother in nearly every phrase that she utters.
Most of the film maintains an emphasis on dark humor with the tragic material manifesting itself slowly. This is best expressed in the hotly debated dinner scene that is at the center of the film as it establishes the dynamics of the family and also features the only moment in which the entire ensemble is actually together in a scene. The scene essentially starts with Cooper's Charlie saying the most outrageously ridiculous blessing; it is impossible not to laugh in this particular moment. Streep is at her most compelling, throwing out insults with such confidence and bitterness that it sends chills through viewer. She barely stops talking in this entire scene, but when she does the camera reveals a snake-like figure preparing her next attack. Roberts matches her blow for blow in this scene as she heightens the tension on her own.
Unfortunately this scene is not only the most memorable moment in the entire movie, but also the turning point; after this battle of wills, the film goes downhill as it looks to navigate through the traffic jam of subplots that it has attempted to sustain to this point. Violet's drug addiction seems to be a major issue as the film starts and it comes to the fore during the dinner scene and in the scenes following; the development of this subplot is so well done in the early stages that it hints at taking over the film as it develops. Unfortunately, it is swiftly dealt with and then barely materializes again in the second half; Violet, who is central to the story in its opening half, actually disappears for a significant portion of the story. The other characters get center-stage in the second half, but the film starts to lack a strong focus and becomes unwieldy and unconvincing with its massive twists and turns. The biggest twist of the movie is actually a bit of a letdown in its predictability.
Streep may play one of her most unlikeable characters ever, but she still manages to imbue Violet with tremendous vulnerability during one latter scene in which she narrates a story that explains the cruelty of her own mother and by extension herself. Even though Streep is getting all of the buzz for the awards as the lead actress, it is Roberts who manages the most potent character in the entire story. Barbara seems to be the average woman when the film starts but as her conflict with her mother increases, she becomes more and more vicious; the neurotic nature of Violet starts to imprint itself onto Barbara until the character is no longer recognizable.
The remainder of the cast does a solid job of building around these two imposing figures. Nicholson steals scenes as the ever
vulnerable Ivy; she actually looks to be the most stable of the family members as she hides behind a strong sense of pride and dignity. The final moments of the film reveal a tremendous amount of heart-break and disappointment in the character. Cumberbatch is rather awkward as Charles, but it suits the character rather well; it is great to see the actormove away from his petulant antagonist roles for a change. Cooper is potent as Charlie and gets a few moments to showcase the pain and suffering of the character; Cooper arguably creates the most relatable person in the entire film with minimal screen time.
"August: Osage County's" sloppy scripting is ultimately a strong actor-driven work. Streep and Roberts are the foundation and pillars that hold up the film, but their co-stars do a tremendous job of filling out the world and conflicts that permeate the drama. The film is worth watching if only for the extensive dinner scene at its core.
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