August: Osage
County
Catherine Bliss Leonard
In
2014 no one could predict who would be winning at the Oscars. It was an undeniable successful year for
cinema and one movie on everyone’s tongue was August: Osage County, most
noted for the incredible female performances by the legendary Meryl Streep and
Julia Roberts who play mother and daughter.
I
would describe the genre of August: Osage County as a dark comedy, very
dark. While watching it, it’s hard not
to be overwhelmed by the dark storyline and painful family life you as a viewer
are witnessing, but the fact that the film does consume you in such a way
proves that it is well done. The mood is
not the only dark part of the movie, but the lighting is also literally dark,
specifically during the scenes taking place inside of the house. I believe that this was not a mistake yet a
specific choice due to the fact that most of the family feuds take place here
creating the dark mood I mentioned before.
This creates a more intense feeling for the audience. The minimal makeup and costuming give the
film a sense of realness, our eyes are not blocked with Hollywood glamour, yet
strong female characters that we can relate to.
The script is also an example of reality, the writers did not hold back
on using curse words, which could usually be scene as inappropriate, but in my
opinion added even more realism to the film.
The most famous scene of the movie, the “fish scene” is filled with
curse words, but it only heightens the tension and does not distract
viewers.
Overall,
August: Osage County had its countless nominations for a reason and will
continue to be viewed as an incredibly real and relatable movie for
centuries.
