Product: Postcards from the Edge [VHS] (1990)
Rating: 4.0
Surprisingly powerful film.
Postcards from the Edge is not a sappy, been-there-done-that comedy. It's actually a movie with a lot of heart and spirit that just happens to be funny. This movie's been classified as an overall comedy, but I felt it dwindled between two genres: comedy and drama. It follows the protagonist--played by Meryl Streep--, a rising actress who is gifted at her craft, but has one thing that is stopping her from reaching her full potential: her drug addiction. The film, surprisingly, does not give us much to work with as a result of her addiction. We do not see a lot of Meryl Streep scarfing down pills and getting high; that all happens within the first ten-to-fifteen minutes of the movie. Instead we see the story of a woman who is attempting to overcome this obstacle and regain her humanity in the process. There are many great scenes shared between Meryl Streep and Shirley Maclaine in this movie. They have incredible chemistry as mother and daughter and, better yet, they give no cringe-worthy performances in this movie. Every line is inflected with the proper tone required for the character and for the story to be effective. I suggest, if you're not a hardcore drama fan, to see this movie plainly for the performances, because they are all great. For those who like a drama sprinkled with some witty dialogue, this is your movie. The merging of the dramatic elements as well as the humorous ones are almost flawless, which makes this movie a true classic for any movie lover. See this movie; it won't disappoint.