August: Osage County was a great play. It is beautifully written and intense, but there were 2 things that really made it work on stage that might be lacking on film.
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1st. Most of the cast was unknown outside of a small group of theater geeks. This means that you didn't see a famous person acting, but a real-life crazy person up on stage. At least you could believe that - even if you knew it was really just great acting. On the other hand, Meryl Streep, Julia Roberts, Ewan McGregor. These are such massive names and personalities, I am not sure you will see the characters underneath them. Watch the clip and you will see Meryl Streep in fine form. But what you won't see is a southern matriarch sliding into verbal abuse like a second skin. You see Meryl Streep doing a great job of it.
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2nd. August: Osage County was set in a a single house. A large 3 story set with different rooms, but a key part of the story is that this wife / mother rules the roost in this hot house of a family. Open it up, and you are going to have to ask, why don't they just leave? After all they seem to leave the house plenty, why go back?
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Don't get me wrong. I am looking forward to it. It was an amazing play - and these are some amazing actors. I just hope they become the characters, the piece deserves it.