It goes without saying that Meryl Streep is one of the greatest actors to have ever lived. She is one of the most decorated movie stars and has appeared in some of the most acclaimed films of all time. She is a huge star yet still manages to disappear into her various, very different roles.
As strange as it might seem, there still remain some films in Streep's career that have not gotten their due. Likewise, some of her acclaimed works have aged rather poorly and the praise they initially received now seems misplaced.
10 Underrated: Doubt (2008)
Streep is an astonishing talent to watch on her own, but it is even more thrilling to see her teaming up with other talented actors. In Doubt, Streep worked with some of her best contemporaries, such as Philip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Adams, and Viola Davis.
The movie centers around a strict nun (Streep) at a Catholic school, who begins to suspect something sinister about the new priest (Hoffman). Though it was nominated for several Oscars, Doubt seems to have largely been forgotten. But it features one of the most talented casts in recent memory.
9 Overrated: Kramer Vs. Kramer (1979)
Though Streep was a rising talent at the time, Kramer vs. Kramer helped to make her a legitimate movie star. She plays the wife of a working man (Dustin Hoffman) who decides to leave her family, including their small boy, only to return and seek custody of the child.
The film won a bunch of awards and earned Streep her first Oscar. However, the story is very one-sided compared to a divorce-themed drama like Marriage Story. The attempts to make Streep's character the unreasonable villain feels misguided when looking back on the film.
8 Underrated: Death Becomes Her (1992)
Streep has shown her comedic side more often in recent films, but that was a rare thing earlier in her career. One of her few early comedic roles was in the wonderfully bizarre dark comedy, Death Becomes Her.
Streep teams with Goldie Hawn as two bitter rivals fighting over a potion for immortality. The movie received a mixed response from critics and disappeared despite being a box office hit. Its over-the-top and zany energy make Death Becomes Her a thoroughly enjoyable film to discover all these years later.
7 Overrated: The Post (2017)
The prospect of Streep teaming up with Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks in a real-life drama about crusading journalists sounds like a surefire success. The Post details the Washington Post's decision to publish classified government documents regarding America's involvement in the Vietnam War.
Not surprisingly, the movie was nominated for a number of Oscars, including Best Picture. Unfortunately, the film itself doesn't live up to the talent involved. It feels like a movie we've seen countless times before without offering anything new.
6 Underrated: The Manchurian Candidate (2004)
Remaking a classic can be a daunting task, even with the considerable talent involved. The Manchurian Candidate retells the political thriller story of a secret organization who has brainwashed a candidate for U.S. President. Streep plays the mother of the candidate in question.
Audiences didn't latch on to the film and critics dismissed it as an inferior version to the original. While it might not live up to its predecessor, this remake does a lot of interesting new things and tells a tense tale. Streep is great in a rare villain role and Denzel Washington gives a stirring lead performance.
5 Overrated: August: Osage County (2013)
In August: Osage County, Streep leads an incredible ensemble of actors, including Julia Roberts, Ewan McGregor, and Benedict Cumberbatch. The film centers on a dysfunctional family that comes together for a family funeral.
August: Osage County took advantage of its award season placement, earning Oscar nominations for Streep and Roberts. But the film itself is nothing special as the family dynamics feel over-the-top and familiar. Even Streep's performance feels cartoonish at times.
4 Underrated: Defending Your Life (1991)
Albert Brooks is a great comedian and actor who has a very underrated career as a filmmaker. Defending Your Life is one of his best films which he wrote, directed, and stars in as a man who falls in love with a woman (Streep) while he awaits judgment in heaven.
The film received high praise from critics, but it slipped through the cracks with audiences. It is a wonderfully original romantic comedy with a hilarious take on what the afterlife could be.
3 Overrated: Into The Woods (2014)
In Mamma Mia!, Streep showed off her singing ability, adding to her already incredible talent. She continued this trend with the big-screen adaptation of Stephen Sondheim's Broadway musical Into the Woods. The film stars the likes of Emily Blunt, Chris Pine, and Anna Kendrick in this take on famous fairy tales. Streep plays the Witch.
Despite a few fun songs, the movie was a bit of a bore, softening the darker aspects of its source material until it was a bland and generic musical. And the fact that Streep earned another Oscar nomination felt like the Academy was just nominating her for anything at this point.
2 Underrated: The River Wild (1994)
Despite her incredible versatility, Streep doesn't seem like a typical action hero. However, she had the chance to have some fun in the action genre with The River Wild. She plays an experienced rafter who is taken hostage and forced to escort a pair of criminals down a dangerous river.
The film came and went without much attention from critics or audiences. Though it is not a huge-scale action-adventure, it is a totally enjoyable ride and Streep is a badass in the grounded hero role.
1 Overrated: The Iron Lady (2011)
Playing real-life characters is nothing new for Streep but in The Iron Lady, she had the challenge of playing one of the 20th century's most infamous figures, Margaret Thatcher. The movie explores Thatcher's time as Prime Minister in the aftermath of her husband's death.
With such a fascinating and well-known figure, this movie could have been really interesting. Streep's performance is of course remarkable and won her a fourth Oscar. Sadly, it is stuck inside a dull and by-the-numbers biopic.
https://ift.tt/2GmazJX
August 06, 2020 at 05:30AM
