August: Osage County

Based on the stage play by Tracy Letts, August: Osage County details the emotional chaos that ensues after several family members reunite following the death of one of their own. There’s little doubt that August: Osage County, for most of its first half, unfolds exactly as one might’ve anticipated, as filmmaker John Wells has infused the proceedings with a talky and almost stagy feel that’s certainly reflective of the movie’s theatrical origins – with the efforts of the film’s impressive cast, which includes Julia Roberts, Meryl Streep, and Chris Cooper, going a long way towards initially compensating for the talk-heavy atmosphere. And although it is, in the movie’s early stages, difficult to work up any real interest in the various characters’ relentless bickering, August: Osage County, once it passes a certain point, morphs into an unexpectedly engrossing effort rife with appreciatively over-the-top and downright trashy elements – with the film’s turning point a spectacularly awkward dinner that eventually devolves into a full-on physical fight between participants. It’s a captivating (and unapologetically broad) sequence that triggers a second half that’s often far more entertaining and watchable than anticipated, with the remainder of the movie jam-packed with similarly larger-than-life moments and chunks of dialogue (eg “eat the fish, bitch!”) that pave the way for a powerful, surprisingly moving final stretch – thus confirming, ultimately, August: Osage County‘s place as a better-than-average adaptation.

***1/2 out of ****