August: Osage County

This is not a sneak preview. This film has already released.

It's August on the hot Oklahoma plains when a tragic event brings members of a dysfunctional family together. The amazing Meryl Streep plays the pill-popping cancer-stricken matriarch and the fabulous Julia Roberts is her estranged daughter.  They are surrounded by a superb supporting cast (Margo Martindale, Chris Cooper, Benedict Cumberbatch, Julette Lewis, Abigail Breslin, Julianne Nicholson, Dermot Mulroney, and Sam Shepard). Based on a Pulitzer Prize winning play, it's full of smart dialogue revealing toxic truths, long standing bitterness, and family secrets. This "R" rated dark comedy/drama is peppered with F-bombs and a sense of humor to get you through the rough spots. This movie may not be for everyone but if you like great acting and a Roberts/Streep cat fight, you may enjoy this one.

Alien gives it 3 "a spoon of sugar makes the medicine go down" stars out of 4.