August: Osage County Review

So I was excited when I found out that this movie was playing on one of the pay channels we have this month.  I've been wanting to see it so bad.  I like character-rich dramas.   So I thought this would be right up my alley. Well first off let me say... the acting was superb but the film was down right Depressing with a capital D.  If you are looking for a film with alcoholism, suicide, cancer,  incest, mental abuse, drug abuse, divorce, child molesting, racism, adultery, & more....  then this film will be right up your alley however even for someone like me who generally likes dramas this one was a bit toooo much.  MY GOD! I walked away feeling depressed & not in any kind of learned a lesson way.... just depressed.  I don't even know what else to say, as it was just emotionally draining to watch.   The film centers around a very dysfunctional family who gather after their father "Beverley" kills himself.  Throughout the course of a few days you learn about this family & their secrets.  Including those of his wife Violet (Meryl Streep) and their three daughters Barbara (Julia Roberts), Karen (Juliette Lewis), & Ivy(Julianne Nicholson) which include among other things one marriage breaking up, & an incestuous relationship.   This is a doozy of a drama but it was almost too much of one for me- to put it simply I didn't like the way I felt after watching it.  I'm pretty sure one viewing of this film was enough for me.