Will she be nominated for a performance Todd McCarthy and even our own Kris Tapley found underwhelming? Of course she will, because all due respect to both, they are wrong.
I finally saw “Doubt” this week, and as other critics are making clear, Streep does some of her best work in the film. Whether or not she will win is another question, and the chances of that are becoming less each day as we hear more and more about Kate Winslet, who will become the Streep-esque actress of her generation, if she already is not.
Watching Streep at work in “Doubt” I was amazed at her choices and how correct they always were. She chooses to portray this nun as an Old Testament type, no spoil the rod for her, hell, whack the kid in the head when he slouches, punish them when necessary, and always believe you are acting in their best interests. She is never wrong in the film, at least her character never believes she is wrong, and that sense of righteousness is what makes her character so terrifying. Stalking the halls looking for trouble, wanting to find it, she brings to the part a ferocity that is alarming in its intensity, wholly right for the role. And of course it’s a different take than Cherry Jones gave us on stage.
Has any actor portrayed Hamlet the same? Or Romeo? Or Richard III? Or let’s go modern and ask about Brando’s Kowalski compared to Treat Williams on TV or Alec Baldwin on stage? Streep chose a different interpretation, a quieter one that works for the cinema because unlike the stage, the camera misses nothing…NOTHING!
I thought her work in the film was sublime, in particular her scenes with Philip Seymour Hoffman during which her pious attitude becomes so clear, and the fact he can never convince her against her certainty is made crystal clear. Those final moments in the courtyard with the marvelous Amy Adams are heartbreaking because for the first time she allows us to see her own doubts; her doubts about her actions, her faith, about the future, all wound into those emotions. She is portraying a character that is dificult to like, demanding on the audience yet mesmerizing to watch.
What I find inconceivable about Ms. Streep, whom I had the immense pleasure of meeting and interviewing a few years ago, is that though she is considered the greatest actress in film history, she has won just a single Oscar for lead actress. The Los Angeles Film Critics gave her Best Actress for “Out of Africa” while the New York critics honored her for “A Cry in the Dark,” and though nominated by the Academy for both, she did not win. Nor did she win for her wonderful work in “The Deer Hunter,” “The French Lieutenant’s Woman,” “Silkwood,” ‘Ironweed,” “The Bridges of Madison County,” “One True Thing,” “Music of the Heart,” “Adaptation” or “The Devil Wears Prada.” On and on and on.
Furthermore, though deserving, she was not even nominated for “The Hours,” “Plenty,” “The Manchurian Candidate” or “The Prarie Home Companion.” Sitting with a record 14 nominations for performance, she is all but promised her 15th this season. There is, like with Eastwood, plenty of goodwill towards Streep these days, but is it because of the fact she is brilliant and doing brilliant work, or because the Academy is embarassed she has not won since 1982? Hilary Swank has two Academy Awards for Best Actress. So do Jodie Foster, Elizabeth Taylor and Sally Field.
I have little doubt (ha-ha) Streep will win again, but I am losing faith it will be for her work this year. As far as she is concerned, she would like to win again, but not for anything other than what is considered her best, or the best work of the year. She tirelessly champions other actresses, (remember her Maggie Gyllenhall support for “Sherrybaby” at the Globes) and is often the first on her feet when another wins. Is it not great to see that awards do not matter to the best there is? That she is content with simply being the best?
I, however am a different matter. The Academy Awards were created to support and honor the best in cinema over the year and Streep has been that consistently. Does it seem fair to you? Are you not of the mind the lady should have more…at least two more. Katherine Hepburn won four, a record, and in my mind Streep should be hovering near that number, if not surpassed it.
Comments
31 responses to “The Streep question”
i too believe streep deserved a nom for the hours and she was good in the manchurian candidate amlthough most founf her ott but that speeech about her boy too the press campaign wow!!!
i still think her best perf and the one she should’ve won her 2nd oscar for is the bridges of madison county,sublime film and one of streeps best,to those who think jolie won’t be nommed eastwood has a good track record with actors streep,swank,harden etc.
I think Streep still has pieces of Adams’s habit stuck in between her teeth.
“Wonderful work” in “Music of the Heart”?
I know you love her, John, but even the greatest actors miss occasionally. I must say, while I think she’s done some strong work since, she’s never quite surpassed her amazing 1978-83 streak.
Can’t venture an opinion on her work in “Doubt” yet, though I must confess there are other actresses I’d rather see win.
I think she was easily good enough for Oscar nominations in both The Hours and The Prairie Home Companion & dare I say it, Death Becomes Her, she made me laugh like crazy.
She can be a bit mannered, but she is undoubtedly the greatest living actor of any definition. She always has me on her side by the end, even in The Devil wears Prada.
It has to help Streep that “Australia” turned out to be a terrible movie, which should drag Nicole Kidman down with it, and even though Anne Hathaway was terrific in “Rachel Getting Married,” the movie itself was ineffectually edited. If the movie “Doubt” is poor, then I suppose Streep’s chances decline, but maybe not as much as they would for any other actress since she is La Streep.
Bravo, John. Yes, even the greatest miss occasionally. But the AMPAS’ record re Ms. Streep is abysmal.
Sorry Guy — I disagree, she was by far the best thing in the film, by far — not her best work I concede, but still a wonderful, warm performance — her 79-88 streak was terrific, but come on be fair, she has done some damed fine work these last ten years in both leads and supporting roles — “The Hours”, “The Manchurian Candidate” (chilling), to name a couple…the best there is. And Guy, my friend, you are right on the money about one thing…I do love her work.
the streep perfs that miss for me are the still of the night,ironweed,out of africa,marvin’s room,postcards from the edge,defending your life,the river wild,she devil & music of the heart,not that they are bad just they don’t connect,a bit mannered in places.
some i think missed out were plenty,the manchurian candidate & the hours.
John, she wasn’t nominated for “The Postman Always Rings Twice.”
Indeed. Neither was Jessica Lange ;)
Duly corrected.
Bless her. She deserves another oscar, pretty soon. She’s picked up and excited me more in recent years. All power to her. She deserves a third. Really only Winslet can stop her.
But she’ll win Supporting Actress.
English and Guy – missing it – where did I mention Postman??? Seriously am I blind, I cannot find it for the life of me…of course she was not in it, Lange was and should have been nominated.
Sorry, John, I took the liberty of correcting it in the post, since it was clearly the kind of absent-minded error we all make.
And I totally agree — Lange is on fire in “Postman.”
I agree with John that Meryl should have already won a least 4 Oscars. Her performances in The Deer Hunter, Cry in the Dark, Silkwood and Postcards from the Edge were brillant. I hope Meryl wins her third this year for Doubt. She more than deserves it.
If Streep doesn’t win the Oscar this year for Doubt, they simply don’t want to give her another Oscar…which would be sad. Winslet is nothing in RR, nothing meaning nothing we haven’t seen from her before. She will get supporting for The Reader. Most folks say this is Streep’s best work in years and that is something that will be hard to pass up. Especially since she was in Mamma Mia and showcased her singing. No one, and I mean no one is close to her versatility…not even the great Cate and Kate.
I am going to go way out and predict Streep wins this year AND next year for Julie & Julia :)
Meryl is passed over each year because voters say she will get other chances whereas actress X may not.
There is also another factor working against her. The bar is set very high for her. It is unthinkable they would have given her an Oscar for Moonstruck or Shakespeare in Love. Expectations are very high for her.
It won’t matter though. Streep will be getting nominated in her 80s.
The only other actress working today who will be working in her 80s is Cate Blanchett. She is consistently good.
Streep was robbed of a nomination for the hours, and she should’ve won for adaptation
she is fantastic
Most overrated actress of all time.
The bar is set so much higher for Streep than other actresses. She’s judged against herself rather than against her peers like most actors are. A performance that may be far above and beyond anything any other actress would have achieved in the same role, may be merely “good” by Streep’s standards.
I think she’s done some brilliant work long after 1983. Her performances in A Cry in the Dark and Bridges of Maddison County were top class. Plus I think she could easily have deserved nominations for her work in A Prairie Home Companion and The Hours.
It’s also interesting to see that with hits like Prada and Mamma Mia, this 59 year old with wrinkles(!) is outperforming most of the younger actresses at the Box Office.
Chad is it that you like to play devil’s advocate, or you really believe some of these…shall I say for politeness sake, odd statements? Normally I enjoy sparring with you and certainly respect your opinion, but having studed acting I can say with all confidence there are none better nor has there ever been anyone better. Her career speaks for itself, and having interviewed just about everyone in the business over twenty five years I can say the opinion stands she might be the best actor, male or female…period. What are you thinking?? You want overrated? Audrey Hepburn, Barbra Streisand, Greer Garson…look back…
Thanks Guy…wow, can’t believe I did that…bonehead of the week award to me…
Still, BFCA gave Doubt 76.
Rachel getting married only haq 71
Changeling 79, and with the great reviews it’s receiving in Europe (especially in the UK), isn’t it too early to cancel Jolie from everyone’s prediction ? She’s sure to be on GG and BFCa shortlist at the very least
I was so perplexed when you mentioned “The Postman Always Rings Twice”, and then I realized you probably got it confused with “Postcards From the Edge”. Anyway, I’m glad you corrected it. I love Meryl Streep and can never argue with any nomination she gets, but she doesn’t always deserve the win, I mean she (along with Angela Bassett) made “Music of the Heart” a watchable movie but Hilary Swank certainly deserved her Oscar that year. The same goes for her most recent nom for “Prada”, Helen Mirren had it in the bag. But I agree witht he person who said that she should’ve been nominated for “Death Becomes Her”, I love that film and she was hilarious in it!
Having just re-visited THE HOURS this week, I can say with certainty that her lack of a nomination for this role is one of the great injustices in recent Oscar history. Fortunately, I feel confident in saying that we fans take it a LOT more personally than she does. A class act!
she’ll probably get nom’d even if the film isn’t that great, or even if her performance isn’t what everyone was expecting – she is Streep, and the academy loves her…
meryl streep is the greatest, ever. her body of work is the best testament to the immensity of her talent. her inventiveness speaks of her creativity as an actor so that we hardly identify streep with any single one —she’s as mutable as her characters are divers. but her greatest contribution to cinema lies in the profound empathy and searing intelligence she imbues her characters with —she defends them to the core!!! as a woman myself, i feel defended by ms. streep’s choices —the dissatisfied wife in “kramer”, the conflicted boss in “devil wears prada”, the underappreciated stay-home mom in “one true thing”; the lonely immigrant in “bridges of madison county”; the naughty woman underneath the pretentious writer in “adaptation”, and so on.
streep had indeed been robbed of the oscar many times, and many times to actresses truly much less deserving —paltrow and zeta-jones are obvious references here.
but that’s the academy’s fault, not streep’s, not her whole universe of fans.
I do sometimes feel like a Democrat on the Fox News forum here but I can assure you that I don’t just say things to say them. I too studied film and acting and feel like I have a pretty good grasp on both. I like hearing the consensus here and am frustrated to be a part of the minority more often than not. But those are my opinions and I stand by them. Let’s just agree to disagree and agree that Streep is brilliant in Manhattan.
Chad, my friend, fair enough. Keep those opinions coming, we are after all, all film critics are we not?
“The Academy Awards were created to support and honor the best in cinema over the year and Streep has been that consistently.”
Which is, of course, why she should have matched, if not surpassed, Katherine Hepburn’s record. But I do think that Mike is right with saying that because Meryl performs well consistently, or at least 85% of the time, and that is why they give Oscars that she has deserved to other actresses who don’t get to go to the ball as much as she does.
I agree with Guy, though. She does have her share of misses–‘She-Devil’ and ‘Still of the Night’ comes to mind–but even given mediocre material, she manages to rise above it and make the movie worth watching. So that’s probably a testament to her great talent.
I also wish that she and Clint Eastwood won for ‘The Bridges of Madison County’. It was easily the most subtle, most sentimental, and most intelligent romantic movie I’ve seen. And I think she should’ve also won for ‘Adaptation’ or ‘The Hours’, because she was a revelation in both movies.
I’d have to see Doubt before I hand out my judgment, but AMPAS should be ashamed that it has not given what is due to the best of the best. If not for Doubt, I am confident that she’ll find the material that will bring home another Oscar for her. But even if she doesn’t add (two? three?) more Oscars to her awards collection, she will always be the best there is, and I think at the end of the day, that’s good enough for her.
Also, apparently there’s a fan-made site for Ms. Streep. Just thought I needed to share.
http://www.merylstreep.org/fyc
I completely agree, it is very nice to see that Meryl’s look was not fuessd with, amped up or Voguefied . I was glossing through Vogue.com and saw her photos, I thought she was perfect. Like other legends, Meryl’s work speaks for her and she makes quite a wake without all the added glam. Something these starlets haven’t got yet.