Family Dysfunction Reaches a New Level in “August: Osage County”

By Kelsey Salamone 12-20-13

Julia Roberts, Meryl Streep and Julianne Nicholson in August: Osage County. Photo Credit: Claire Folger / The Weinstein Company.

It is no surprise that Meryl Streep scored her eighteenth Oscar nomination for her performance in “August: Osage County.”

Based on the play of the same name by Tracy Letts, “Osage County” takes place, predictably, during a few summer days in Osage County, Oklahoma, as the various members of the Weston family gather to deal with a family tragedy.

Meryl Streep plays the Weston matriarch, Violet, a caustic drug addict diagnosed with cancer. As always, Streep gives a transformative performance, switching rapidly between dark humor and heartbreaking fragility as she insults every family member who crosses her path.

Julia Roberts as Violet’s daughter, Barbara, gives the actress’s best performance in years. Barbara enters the scene as a voice of reason and opposition against her unhinged mother, but soon proves that the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.

Likewise, both Juliette Lewis and Julianne Nicholson give commendable performances as Barbara’s disparate sisters, Karen and Ivy, and Margo Martindale is faultless in the role of Mattie Fae, Violet’s lively sister. Misty Upham, despite having few lines as the Weston’s new cook, is also riveting to watch.

However, the movie is not without faults. The twists and turns of “August: Osage County” are entertaining, but overdramatic to the point where they border on melodrama. The moments that take place outside, in the plains of Oklahoma, detract from the buildup of tension in Violet’s house, a problem the original stage version undoubtedly avoided.

Ewan McGregor leaves little impression as Barbara’s estranged husband, Bill, but surprisingly it is “Sherlock” star Benedict Cumberbatch who is the weakest member of the ensemble. Cumberbatch’s attempt at a southern accent is laughable, and his role as Mattie Fae’s son, “Little” Charles, thus has a sense of artificiality the other characters lack.

Nonetheless, “August: Osage County” is an enjoyable tale full of dysfunction and wit, and with big performances from two of Hollywood’s greats, it should not be missed.