Meryl Movie Two and it’s another I’ve written up before. She followed up her first supporting nod with her first win the following year.
The movie follows Dad (Dustin Hoffman) and Son (Justin Henry) after Mom (Meryl) abruptly leaves them to go off and find herself or something. Just when the boys start to get the hang of being alone together, Mom comes back and engages in a hardcore custody battle to reclaim her son.
Ooooh I dislike her so much (the character, not the goddess that plays her). A lot of the attitudes of this film don’t age very well nearly 40 years later, and no really, I have zero sympathy for her character.
Only an actress I love so much could so convincingly play a character I dislike so intensely. For only a supporting role with limited scenes, there’s a lot of range there. But the most compelling part of her performance is the courtroom scenes. Ugh just thinking about it, I wanna punch her (again, character not goddess).
Again, despite the dated material, it’s a very moving and compelling film. Mostly about the boys, and with any other actress that’s where it’d stay. It really is one worth watching for Meryl tho