Student Movie Review: August: Osage County

By Kimberly Stephenson

Jasmin Young (l.) and Kimberly Stephenson (r.) are members of the Performing Arts Society.		Members of the Performing Arts Society include Jasmin Young (l.) and Zuyeria Zafar (r.). Prof. Laura Butchy (c.) sponsors the organization.

On February 21, 2014, Prof. Laura Butchy took member s of the Plaza College Performing Arts Society to Union Square in Manhattan to see the film August: Osage County. Many members of the society studied the play in their Modern Drama course and eagerly anticipated the film adaptation.

Read Plaza College student Kimberly Stephenson’s review below:

August: Osage County was very riveting and filled with drama and excitement. It told a story of a family torn by secrets and distance. It’s sad to say they only came together because of a death.

Violet, who was played by Meryl Streep, had oral cancer but overused pills and always acted in irrational ways. She was married to Beverly, Sam Shepard’s character, who decided to commit suicide shortly after hiring Johnna. Johnna was played by Misty Upham, and her character was something like a maid for the house. Violet and Beverly had three daughters, Barbara, Karen, and Ivy, who were played by Julia Roberts, Juliette Lewis, and Julianne Nicholson.

Throughout the movie, bizarre secrets are revealed and the family becomes even more torn apart. For example, Abigail Breslins’s character, Barbara’s teenage daughter Jean, was caught with Karen’s fiancé, Steve, who was played by Dermont Mulroney. Also, Ivy confessed that she was in love with their cousin Little Charles, played by Benedict Cumberbatch, only to find out that he was really their half-brother because Aunt Mattie Fae had an affair with their father Beverly.

This movie had me on edge the whole time and shocked me with every twist and turn. My favorite actress was Julia Roberts because of the scene where her character finally stood up to her mother. My only issue was the ending. I felt that it ended too abruptly and more had to happen.

All in all, the actors and actresses did a wonderful job portraying their characters. I would recommend everyone go to experience the intensely exciting drama of this movie.