A review of “August: Osage County” – and why I love Meryl Streep
This weekend, I saw the film “August: Osage County” based on the acclaimed play by Tracy Letts. You can read my review here.
My main reason for wanting to see the movie was that it stars Meryl Streep. I’ve been a massive fan of hers since “The Deerhunter” (1978) and “Kramer vs Kramer” (1979) and I reckon that I’ve now seen her in around 30 films. She is brilliant at accents and can play a whole variety of roles. She is undoubtedly the finest actress of her generation and it’s been wonderful to see her continue to secure brilliant roles even as she grows older. She has now been nominated 18 times for an Academy Award, winning three.
Meryl Streep is the kind of person I’d like round for dinner. I admire her not just as an actress but as a human being. She has been married to the same guy since 1978 (a sculptor rather than an actor) and has four children (two of whom have gone into acting) – the kind of family stability that is all too rare in the world of celebrities. She is bright (she went to Yale) and generous (she is a philantropist) and she has never done or said anything scandalous. She is a Democrat and non-religious.