Streep Excels Again

Rating: 8/10 (3 July 2006)

A fun movie that finds the right blend of comedy and drama, without ever letting the comedy stoop to crassness, nor letting the drama get too serious. A very believable story and although Hathaway plays with authenticity (how can anyone have such big, beautiful eyes?!), Streep steals the show with another excellent performance. Try as you might as a viewer to dislike this woman, Streep never quite lets you get away with it that easily. There is a constant undercurrent that although she needs to be professionally ruthless to be successful, there lurks a vulnerable woman underneath. Toward the end, that vulnerability is seen, to shocked gasps from the audience. The pace was brisk and once or twice I laughed out loud, which is unusual for me. A fine movie, well made, and artistically shot - Paris was photographed perfectly.