To writer Cody's credit, the story doesn't wallow in melodrama. "Ricki and the Flash" is not about a mother trying to make amends for the wrongs she committed against her children. It's about her trying to reconnect with them as adults and create a new relationship. It's a mature approach to the regrets of an absentee parent and, for the most part, feels authentic. Demme devotes a surprising amount of screen time to performances by Ricki and the Flash. They sing and play their way through several full songs, including Tom Petty's "American Girl" and Bruce Springsteen's 'My Love Will Not Let You Down" and parts of others. And Streep does all of her own singing and guitar playing. And Rick Springfield has a key role as Greg, Linda's lover and backup singer in the band. "Ricki and the Flash" is a warm story of a fractured family reuniting and finding a way to move forward and the quality of the cast and crew elevates the material. However, I don't think its strong enough to garner Academy attention come Oscar time. (But I am going to get the sound track.)
Sunday, August 23, 2015
Rick and the Flash - 3 smiles
A considerable amount of talent went into the making of "Ricki and the Flash," resulting in a pleasurable diversion, but nothing more. And that's disappointing. When you have Meryl Streep and Kevin Kline starring, Jonathan Demme directing a script written by Diablo Cody, you expect, well....you expect more. Streep is Linda, a sixty-six rock singer who fronts a house band, Ricki and the Flash, at a LA bar. Her career has long since peaked (and it wasn't that big when she was 'on top') but she keeps at it because that's her dream, her life. However, her pursuit of music caused her to abandon her family: her ex-husband, Pete (Kline) and her now grown children, Julie (Maime Gummer), Josh (Sebastian Stan) and Adam (Nick Westgate). Linda gets a call from Pete when Julie goes into crisis mode because Julie's husband is leaving her.
To writer Cody's credit, the story doesn't wallow in melodrama. "Ricki and the Flash" is not about a mother trying to make amends for the wrongs she committed against her children. It's about her trying to reconnect with them as adults and create a new relationship. It's a mature approach to the regrets of an absentee parent and, for the most part, feels authentic. Demme devotes a surprising amount of screen time to performances by Ricki and the Flash. They sing and play their way through several full songs, including Tom Petty's "American Girl" and Bruce Springsteen's 'My Love Will Not Let You Down" and parts of others. And Streep does all of her own singing and guitar playing. And Rick Springfield has a key role as Greg, Linda's lover and backup singer in the band. "Ricki and the Flash" is a warm story of a fractured family reuniting and finding a way to move forward and the quality of the cast and crew elevates the material. However, I don't think its strong enough to garner Academy attention come Oscar time. (But I am going to get the sound track.)
To writer Cody's credit, the story doesn't wallow in melodrama. "Ricki and the Flash" is not about a mother trying to make amends for the wrongs she committed against her children. It's about her trying to reconnect with them as adults and create a new relationship. It's a mature approach to the regrets of an absentee parent and, for the most part, feels authentic. Demme devotes a surprising amount of screen time to performances by Ricki and the Flash. They sing and play their way through several full songs, including Tom Petty's "American Girl" and Bruce Springsteen's 'My Love Will Not Let You Down" and parts of others. And Streep does all of her own singing and guitar playing. And Rick Springfield has a key role as Greg, Linda's lover and backup singer in the band. "Ricki and the Flash" is a warm story of a fractured family reuniting and finding a way to move forward and the quality of the cast and crew elevates the material. However, I don't think its strong enough to garner Academy attention come Oscar time. (But I am going to get the sound track.)
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