English Movie Reviews

August: Osage County (2013) Review – A Depressing Drama Led by Terrific Performances!

August: Osage County is inspired from a stage play written by Tracy Letts where the plot onsets with the three daughters of the Weston family gather together for their father’s funeral who commits suicide after suffering a miserable lifestyle. The elder person of the family, Violet Weston (Meryl Streep) is addicted to chancy perilous pills which compels her to think in an eccentric way which, in turn, concerns her daughter’s feelings. Having been surrounded in a catastrophic vibe, things start to unfold in a ruinous manner which results in appalling arguments.

ALSO READ: ENOUGH SAID [2013] MOVIE REVIEW

Inspired from a three-hour stage play, August: Osage County has a great ensemble cast who were exempted with a story and were asked to play as naturally as they can. And that’s one of the foremost reasons I assert that Osage County is a movie which was primarily based on acting other than the story. Every actor in the movie was provided with a moment and are allowed to display the character’s intention and how they differ from each other’s feelings and aspirations.

August Osage County 2013 ReviewAugust Osage County 2013 Review

Out of all the performances, Meryl Streep and Julia Roberts excelled in the limelight. Their pragmatic approach and the inexplicable conversations shared were penetrating and extreme for the most part. Director John Wells had done the most vital thing my leaving the actors to play themselves contentedly without any pressure in hurrying up the scene. But in a story point of view, the movie was a letdown, the writing was quite underwhelming, and they were a few muffled unnecessary sequences which took me out of the drama abruptly.

Nevertheless, August: Osage County is a dark, depressing drama powered with terrific performances from Streep and Roberts. It’s rather upsetting than entertaining and will depend on how you receive these melodramatic subjects. Not my topmost recommendation for everybody, unless you have the intent to watch it once. Rent ‘August: Osage County’ on YouTube here.

Rating – 3.5/5 | Grade – B+

Surya Komal

It is what it is.

View Comments

Recent Posts

The Devil’s Left Hand Review: Atmospheric & Spooky!

The Devil’s Left Hand brings together elements of horror, mystery, and thriller under the direction… Read More

2 days ago

Fear Street: Prom Queen Review – A Missed Opportunity!

Fear Street: Prom Queen marks the fourth entry in the popular Fear Street film series,… Read More

2 days ago

Hold Me, Softly Review: A Decent Indie Romance!

Hold Me, Softly is an indie romantic drama from Ina Tiernan Bailey, shot in Phoenix… Read More

2 days ago

CONNECTED Review: A Deeply Human Story!

CONNECTED tells a moving and unexpected story of friendship, resilience, and the complicated ties between… Read More

3 days ago

Bring Her Back Review: Unsettling and Diabolical!

In 2022, Danny Philippou & Michael Philippou released one of the most original horror films… Read More

5 days ago

Restless (2024) Review: An Anxiety-Filled Ride!

Grief and stress often go hand in hand as part of the human condition. The… Read More

6 days ago