Postcards from the Edge
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Movie Reviews of Postcards from the Edge
Movie Review: I simply love Meryl Streep, perhaps the greatest living actress of our time.
Summary: 5 Stars
Having just seen 'The Devil Wears Prada' for the umpteenth time in the last several months and not just to see Anne Hathaway...I have become transfixed with Meryl Streep's acting ability and the level of perfection and style that she brings to the screen.
I know that everyone has written their review and given their spin on this being a 'Hollywood Insider' film and it may very well be one. I too can relate to Suzanne Vale's travails; her dependency on drugs, the struggle with her relationship with her mother and with her career.
BUT, I do not think that this movie is so much about any of that or even about the obvious...what I do say the movie is about is the dialectic of 'Becoming vs. Being'.
I'm not going to explain what I mean by that and I'm sure that the mature and savvy readers who ponder my humble words will know what I mean...but there is one line that everyone has overlooked...the 'Tell' (for me) so to speak and that is when Suzanne is embracing Gene Hackman in a nearly Father and Daughter dialog when she mutters...'I don't want life to imitate art...I want life to be art.' WOW!!!
Perhaps it is the very high expectations that Suzanne places on herself and in the quest for full self expression within the dynamics of living in the Umbra of her mother that drives her to drug dependency and is the source of her deep rooted unhappiness...
Having spoken those words which segue shortly to the last scene of the film as Suzanne delivers a rousing rendition of Heartbreak Hotel there is no line of distinction in her performance between her life as an actress and her passion for her life and her craft fully self expressed, becoming no more.
At that moment I dropped a tear or two.
Movie Review: "Funny and Well-Acted Film"
Summary: 5 Stars
"Postcards From The Edge" was written by Carrie Fisher, who based the screenplay on her autobiography. That autobiography was in turn loosely based on her personal life growing up in the Hollywood limelight as the daughter of a famous actress, Debbie Reynolds. When it came time to cast the film Debbie expressed an interest in being cast as the mother, but director Mike Nichols ("The Birdcage" and "Who's Afraid of Virginia Wolf?") decided on Shirley MacLaine. Meryl Streep was cast as the daughter after deciding to star in some light-weight films in the late eighties, most notably "She-Devil". The chemistry between MacLaine and Streep is excellent and Nichols direction is superb. It is, however, Fisher's screenplay that makes the film work and we get a chance to see the struggle between a mother and daughter in forming a real relationship while trying to survive in the movie industry. Drug addiction, vanity, and actresses getting old are some of the issues the film tackles. Dennis Quaid and Gene Hackman have supporting roles and the film became the #1 movie in the country upon its release in 1990. "Postcards From The Edge" garnered Streep an Oscar nod as Best Actress and the title song "I'm Checkin' Out" was nominated for Best Song. That song was performed at the 1991 Academy Awards by country music superstar Reba McEntire who had recently lost her entire band in a planecrash. The DVD comes with both full and widescreen presentations, trailers, audio commentary by Fisher, and more.Movie Review: One of the best U.S.screenplays written in the last 20 years
Summary: 5 Stars
This Carrie Fisher penned film is perhaps one of the best screenplays written in the U.S. in the last 20 years. All the dialogue is crisp, clever and reads like a mix between Neil Simon and Moss/Hart.Mike Nichols takes it to an even higher level, by casting Streep and MacLaine against each other and watching the sparks fly.
Filled with wonderful supporting performances by Gene Hackman, Richard Dreyfuss, Dennis Quaid, Mary Wickes, Oliver Platt, Rob Reiner and Annette Benning among others.
The extra features on the DVD are pretty scarce. But the Carrie Fisher audio commentary is priceless. Funny, whimsical and totally casual, Fisher manages to ramble on with no direction and still provides us a wonderful glimpse (in her own way) on what it was like on the set and making the film.
A must have for fans of excellent dialogue and good, clean comedy with a sarcastic edge.
Movie Review: Sassy, funny and smart!
Summary: 5 Stars
This is Meryl at her funny best. What more can you say when the screenplay is based on the best selling book by Carrie Fisher! And Carrie wrote the screenplay too! Ms. Fisher is well known in Hollywood as THE person to call if your script needs "pumping up". She calls herself a "Script Nurse"!! Too funny! And yes, she is very well paid for her services! By the way, Annette Benning got her big break in this film! She played the actress playing the hooker on the movie set. She only had a few lines, but everyone said "WHO WAS THAT?"!!. Hollywood took notice..the rest is history! Shirley M.'s caracter IS the fading Hollywood star. She is so full of life..and herself!! Anyway, this is an excellent, entertaining movie. A Mike Nichols directed film, so you can bet it's top notch!!!Movie Review: Listen the the Carrie Fisher Commentary
Summary: 5 Stars
I've always loved this film. It has great dialog, great casting, great production and direction. Carrie Fisher wrote the screeplay based on her book, and her commentary on the film is very insightful, honest and funny. She discusses her rehab from drug addiction and her relationship with her mother, Debbie Reynolds. She points how the film differs from her real relationships with her family, discusses the writing process and how she had never written a screenplay before and wasn't sure how to do. And, of course, she's very funny on top of everything else. Buy the movie because its a good movie. The commentary is the icing on the cake.