Ironweed

Directed by Héctor Babenco, Ironweed details a few days in the lives of a pair of Depression-era hobos (Jack Nicholson’s Francis and Meryl Streep’s Helen). Filmmaker Babenco, armed with William Kennedy’s screenplay, delivers a meticulously-produced endeavor that’s rarely, if ever, as enthralling as one might’ve anticipated (and hoped), as the picture, which runs a palpably padded-out 143 minutes, has been suffused with a decidedly sluggish pace that’s exacerbated by the episodic, momentum-free narrative – with the hit-and-miss bent of these digressions certainly contributing to the far-from-enthralling vibe. And while the picture admittedly benefits from its lived-in atmosphere and predictably stellar performances, with both Nicholson and Streep offering up completely convincing and engaging work, Ironweed, despite its smattering of stirring sequences (eg Helen belts out a song, Francis reveals his tragic past, etc), remains unable to consistently hold the viewer’s interest and attention – which is a shame, ultimately, given the preponderance of above-average attributes.

** out of ****