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| Meryl Streep |
Today is actress Meryl Streep's birthday. As longtime readers will likely know, I have had a long and conflicting view when it has come to her work. While she is actually a good actress, I feel that it is worth debating how many of the 19 (to date) Oscar nominations or 3 wins was actually deserved. I have decided that on her birthday, instead of spreading more apathetic dismissals, that I would come forward with more evidence that I don't hate her. I have decided to count down my personal Top 10 favorite movies of which I have seen her in (not necessarily in the lead role). It will, in some respects, be shocking what actually makes the final cut, partially because there's a lot that I haven't seen. Nevertheless, let us get this list underway.
*Films I have missed (that I assume would make the cut): Julia, Silkwood, Heartburn, Ironweed, A.I.: Artificial Intelligence, A Prairie Home Companion, Doubt
1. Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009)
Was She Nominated: No
The one upside to Meryl Streep's long career is that she has worked with some adventurous filmmakers. Among the stranger selections was for this Wes Anderson film. While a lot of the focus was more on George Clooney's great voice work, Streep as Mrs. Fox provided a great stern and moral center to the film. It is also rather astounding that this is Streep's highest rated film on Rotten Tomatoes since Defending Your Life from 18 years prior. Still, she has an impressive career in voice work (see also: The Simpsons, King of the Hill) that makes her even more versatile than you likely already thought.
2. Defending Your Life (1991)
Was She Nominated: No
If this film has no other honor, it is director and star Albert Brooks' masterpiece. For a comedian who made a career out of making us reevaluate things in abstract ways, he managed to turn death into its own study of existentialism and living the good life. Among the supporting cast is Meryl Streep, who proves that she has enough charm and comedic chops to keep up with Brooks. It is one of her best performances because it reflects the general reason why she was so beloved in that she can be an interesting character while complimenting and even elevating her co-stars overall performance. It is just strange that of the awards fatigue that she had between the 80's and 90's that this one somehow escaped without notice.
3. The Deer Hunter (1978)
Was She Nominated: Yes
Did She Win: No
If one was ever faced with trivia as to what Meryl Streep's first Oscar nomination was for, it was this. While the film is largely more focused on the overpowering and tragic tales of the male counterparts, she was an integral part of the emotional response. Her most effecting moments came in the portion of the film following the war in which the soldiers, racked with shell shock, had to adjust to a normal life. Through an empathetic and nuanced performance, she introduced herself to a long line of Oscar nominations with charisma that proved that she was always a promising talent. The only downside is that of the 19 nominations, she only received three for films that won Best Picture, thus raising question on just how much of her filmography is just us admiring her presence.
4. The Hours (2002)
Was She Nominated: No
While it may be accused of being a melodrama all about depression, it is still one of the most arresting depictions of it on film. While everyone noticed Nichole Kidman's great performance as Virginia Woolfe, Meryl Streep delivered a rather touching and poignant role as a woman planning a party for her gay friend. While the latter half of the film dives into dark territory, it is the chemistry that she shares with her co-star that makes the end have some momentum. The three story format may be somewhat of a gimmick, but it still works in making the themes resonate and making an otherwise quaint story into something with more power. She may only be a small component of why the film works, but it still is a necessary one at that.
5. Manhattan (1979)
Was She Nominated: No
There are two camps when it comes to defining Woody Allen's best film. You're either really into Annie Hall or Manhattan. While the former is the director using all of his tools to make a collage on love, the latter is a more restrained and poetic love letter to a city. It is also more mature and deals with one of the many conflicting loves that the director has written about. Much like the rest of her best films, Meryl Streep is most effective in an ensemble cast where her charisma and nuance are forced to work within someone else's circle. This is a rather good example and great proof that she was able to handle Allen's neurotic, over-analytical dialogue and bring a new and enjoyable life to it. It's just a wonder that the two didn't work together more.
6. Adaptation. (2003)
Was She Nominated: Yes
Did She Win: No
Among the many interesting directors that Meryl Streep has worked with, Spike Jonze may be up there. While the film is ostensibly about adapting a story about flowers, it dives into a deeper and more complicated world view of a writer, specifically of two Nicolas Cages. The film is reliably as eccentric and odd as we have come to expect from Jonze. It is also an example of what happens when you give Streep juicy material to work with and allow her to embrace a new and strange atmosphere. For as philosophical as the film gets, it is mostly grounded by the performances that remind us that maybe nominating Streep for every other film is causing her actual great roles to lose some of their shine.
7. Kramer vs. Kramer (1979)
Was She Nominated: Yes
Did She Win: Yes
For trivia fans, this was Meryl Streep's first Oscar win. While she has very limited screen time in this family drama about divorce, she manages to make the most of it. For the most part, the story is told from the father's side of the equation and thus makes Dustin Hoffman's role all the more sympathetic when Streep shows up as the mother. She isn't necessarily a vindictive person, but in an era where mothers got custody of their children, it is an interesting juxtaposition that is very reflective of the changing tides. It may not be a performance full of gripping moments, but it is an honest and mature drama that reflected how it wasn't the amount of screen time that mattered. It was about the quality of the performance.
8. The Devil Wears Prada (2006)
Was She Nominated: Yes
Did She Win: No
If you were forced to probe the younger generation on what the definitive Meryl Streep movie was, there would likely be only one answer: The Devil Wears Prada. While she has remained busy and relevant before and since, there have been few roles as memorable in her later career as the sassy fashion magazine boss. She earns every moment of her screen time with scathing humor that undermines her staff at every turn. In a sense, her intimidation is her greatest feature and remains why it is such a juicy role. It isn't just another "Meryl Streep is great" role that we claim to keep seeing, it actually is an example of what happens when the stars align and a good actress is given good material instead of having to compensate.
9. Sophie's Choice (1982)
Was She Nominated: Yes
Did She Win: Yes
If I was forced to answer the question of what "Definitive Meryl Streep" is, there is no other substitute. She has done greater movies, but none have reflected why we care so much about her than this WWII tearjerker that has some of her most challenging and powerful moments. While it may be a little slow at times, she makes every second full of grief in a matter that elevates a simple family story into one of the most conflicting resolutions in 80's film history. She earns those heartbreaking moments and gives us hope for more great roles like this. She would deliver, maybe even top in a lot of respects, but she will never be more fully realized in her entire career than she was in this film.
10. The Homesman (2014)
Was She Nominated: No
Here is where the reality sets in: I don't like a lot of her other movies, whether they be The Iron Lady, Julie and Julia, August: Osage County, or Out of Africa. I admit to not seeing a ton of them, but I do feel that coming up with a final film on this list was especially difficult because of how little impact most of her films have on me. That doesn't mean that they're not good, it's just that the films aren't that appealing. This is why the 10th spot is more dedicated to a very weird western that she barely is in and isn't even that memorable in compared to main stars Hillary Swank or Tommy Lee Jones. Sure, it plays into her desire for strong female roles, but she has more of a cameo that was overblown in the trailers. So while this may not be the most extraordinary film in her career, it is one of the more interesting and creative ones that she has been associated with in recent years.
What is your favorite Meryl Streep performance?
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