Friday, September 7, 2012

Who Knew Meryl Streep Would Be A Perfect Julia Child?

I guess I'm the last person to see the film, Julie and Julia/, but that's what I did this afternoon.  That was half fabulous movie and have inane protracted whine.  Is it necessary to designate which is which - OK, I'll give my opinion - the Julia Child part of the movie was terrific.  It made me wonder why they even added the other part, which I will fast forward through the next time I watch this.  Actually, if they rereleased this as just Julia, I'd have to own it.  I liked it that well.  But not to be confused with another movie called "Julia" which Meryl Streep was also in.  The Lillian Hellman smuggles money to aid her girlfriend Julia fight fascism story.  (She must have been in her 20's, since I was in my 20's when I saw that movie.)  That was back in the days when just having Meryl in the cast told you that the movie would make you feel bad before you left the theatre.  When did Meryl Streep turn into a "feel-good" actress?

10 comments:

  1. I totally agree with you. Meryl was so awesome in this, hence the Oscar (I think).

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  2. I was thinking how few of Streep's films I've never seen (and you aren't the last to see Julia,Julia - I haven't yet). Reading her wikipedia entry apparently there was something with Roseanne Barr called She-Devil in the late 80s, which is said to have been the original version of Death Becomes Her (which I have seen). That seems to be when she started choosing comedy roles. I think she's a stunning actress, I just haven't ever chased down all her films.

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  3. I'm with you on Julia - Meryl was soooo fantastic, would have been happy if the whole movie was about Julia Child; forget the Julie bit. I loved the brilliant earlier Streep films even if they were angst ridden!

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  4. I believe the reason it was the back and forth between Julia and Julie was the almighty dollar angle: to attract the younger audience with the Julie character. I though Meryl Streep's performance outstanding, but sorry, Jill, she did not receive an Oscar; she should have. I suppose she wanted to "stretch" herself to provide she could take on all roles, thus the comedy. Actually, I think she is very good in the comedies. A first rate actress if ever there was one!

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  5. I loved her in the movie, too. She and Stanley Tucci were so wonderful together. She has a nice comic touch: I loved her in "The Devil Wears Prada," too!

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  6. Hi Carla - I agree that she should have gotten the Oscar. But I guess she got enough already and they gave it to someone else that year.

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  7. Hi Shelley - She Devil was a remake of the British series which (I think) was called Life and Loves (or Diary) of a She-Devil. Patricia Hodge might have starred in it, but she would have been the woman who stole the "she devil's" husband. As much as I loved it, I can't believe I remember so little about it. It was very intelligent - while the Roseanne Barr version was too much caricature. (And in those days, I loved Barr - she was my favorite comedienne.)

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  8. Hi Patricia - We totally agree on Meryl Streep films! Although, even when brilliant, I have trouble with angst ridden movies.

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  9. Hi Sanda - That makes perfect sense - for some reason, they didn't think there was enough of an audience for a film just about Julia Child. Well, I think they were wrong.
    It is funny how when Meryl Streep started doing funny stuff, she seem to have stuck with it. And I do think shes very good at it, too.

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  10. Hi Anne - Stanley Tucci was amazing in that film too. And The Devil Wears Prada was wonderful too. As was Mama Mia.

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