A Thousand Acres (B or 3/4 stars)
'A Thousand Acres' (directed by Jocelyn Moorhouse) is adapted from a novel which is based on Shakespeare's classic King Lear. Larry Cook (Jason Robards), a domineering-yet-respected Iowan farmer, decides to retire & split his 1,000 acres among his 3 daughters, Ginny, Rose, & Caroline (Jessica Lange, Michelle Pfeiffer, Jennifer Jason Leigh). The 2 eldest, Ginny & Rose, willingly accept the profitable agreement to live & work on the farm, but Caroline is 'over' farming & aims for a law career in Des Moines. She wants no part of the deal. Consumed with anger, Larry rejects Caroline (believed to be his favorite daughter), and leaves Ginny & Rose to run said farm with their husbands (Keith Carradine, Kevin Anderson).
However, with Larry losing touch with farming, so too does he start to lose touch with his sanity; & his painful descent into rage-filled dementia leaves his bitter towards Ginny & Rose, as well -- and bitter is putting it lightly. As she struggles to maintain the farm, the usually docile Ginny encounters a heated argument with Rose, who reveals a deeply-buried secret involving their father. The 2 sisters also develop a strong extramarital attachment to Jess (Colin Firth), the handsome rogue son of a neighboring farmer (Pat Tingle). Paranoid & delusional, Larry decides to sue Ginny & Rose in a last-ditch effort to regain his patriarchal control, & asks Caroline for legal aid. Much melodrama ensues. The siblings are pitted against each other. Tragedy strikes. And the family is divided. Heartbreak abounds the film's final act, but redemption is there to be had, as well.
'A Thousand Acres' is a melodrama, through & through -- the stuff of soap operas, really (treachery, abuse, adultery, jealousy, dysfunction, lightning storms, screaming characters, over-the-top music). But on the whole, I was riveted to the screen thanks to some superb acting on display; notably from Jessica Lange, Michelle Pfeiffer, & Jason Robards. The characters are believable. And the acting elevates the rest of it all. Aside from the performances, I also really sunk my teeth into the pulpy plot. And it's always interesting to see buried secrets come to surface; especially in what appears to be idyllic settings (sprawling land, picket fences, whitewash homes). In fact, said 'land' is crucial to every single character; as a means of family, community, finance, & even a source vengeance.
Jessica Lange is incredibly effective as the self-deluded Ginny. She's our narrator (yes, that technique is employed here), so we see & feel most of the plot action from her perspective. That's acceptable because she is the most vulnerable & relatable character in this turbulent family drama. Michelle Pfeiffer is also great; showing an edge to her that I'd never seen before. She conceals her anger & hurt under a seemingly calm facade, but by the end ... she lets it out for all to see. And there are no less than 3 scenes she shares with Lange in which they both knock it out of the ballpark -- heartbreaking stuff. As Larry, Jason Robards brings out 2 sides: the tyrannical curmudgeon, & the dementia-ridden empty vessel. Still, it's very difficult to feel bad for him. He's an innate monster. The rest of the cast is ok; satisfactorily achieving their character arcs, but without brilliance. At least it's fun to see Brit Colin Firth tackle a Midwest accent {haha}.
I've heard some complaints (on the film) that it engages in too much man-bashing. i.e., nearly every male character treats his female counterpart poorly (ignorance, abuse). But every single female has some major issues, as well. They are flawed; sometimes as much as or more so than the males. I've also read (from some critics) that the melodramatic contrivances did them in. To that I say, 'ehh, didn't bother me' - again, because the performances reeled me in. I will say that the ending felt a bit rushed. Certain characters disappear without proper conclusion to their story arc. But overall, aside from some narrative flaws here & there, I really enjoyed watching this engrossing portrait of an extended family, rivalries, power, greed, & forgiveness.
However, with Larry losing touch with farming, so too does he start to lose touch with his sanity; & his painful descent into rage-filled dementia leaves his bitter towards Ginny & Rose, as well -- and bitter is putting it lightly. As she struggles to maintain the farm, the usually docile Ginny encounters a heated argument with Rose, who reveals a deeply-buried secret involving their father. The 2 sisters also develop a strong extramarital attachment to Jess (Colin Firth), the handsome rogue son of a neighboring farmer (Pat Tingle). Paranoid & delusional, Larry decides to sue Ginny & Rose in a last-ditch effort to regain his patriarchal control, & asks Caroline for legal aid. Much melodrama ensues. The siblings are pitted against each other. Tragedy strikes. And the family is divided. Heartbreak abounds the film's final act, but redemption is there to be had, as well.
'A Thousand Acres' is a melodrama, through & through -- the stuff of soap operas, really (treachery, abuse, adultery, jealousy, dysfunction, lightning storms, screaming characters, over-the-top music). But on the whole, I was riveted to the screen thanks to some superb acting on display; notably from Jessica Lange, Michelle Pfeiffer, & Jason Robards. The characters are believable. And the acting elevates the rest of it all. Aside from the performances, I also really sunk my teeth into the pulpy plot. And it's always interesting to see buried secrets come to surface; especially in what appears to be idyllic settings (sprawling land, picket fences, whitewash homes). In fact, said 'land' is crucial to every single character; as a means of family, community, finance, & even a source vengeance.
Jessica Lange is incredibly effective as the self-deluded Ginny. She's our narrator (yes, that technique is employed here), so we see & feel most of the plot action from her perspective. That's acceptable because she is the most vulnerable & relatable character in this turbulent family drama. Michelle Pfeiffer is also great; showing an edge to her that I'd never seen before. She conceals her anger & hurt under a seemingly calm facade, but by the end ... she lets it out for all to see. And there are no less than 3 scenes she shares with Lange in which they both knock it out of the ballpark -- heartbreaking stuff. As Larry, Jason Robards brings out 2 sides: the tyrannical curmudgeon, & the dementia-ridden empty vessel. Still, it's very difficult to feel bad for him. He's an innate monster. The rest of the cast is ok; satisfactorily achieving their character arcs, but without brilliance. At least it's fun to see Brit Colin Firth tackle a Midwest accent {haha}.
I've heard some complaints (on the film) that it engages in too much man-bashing. i.e., nearly every male character treats his female counterpart poorly (ignorance, abuse). But every single female has some major issues, as well. They are flawed; sometimes as much as or more so than the males. I've also read (from some critics) that the melodramatic contrivances did them in. To that I say, 'ehh, didn't bother me' - again, because the performances reeled me in. I will say that the ending felt a bit rushed. Certain characters disappear without proper conclusion to their story arc. But overall, aside from some narrative flaws here & there, I really enjoyed watching this engrossing portrait of an extended family, rivalries, power, greed, & forgiveness.