gtorres@express-news.net
It's a stunning movie and stunning work by Jessica Lange, Drew Barrymore and Ron Howard.Where do I begin . . . Let me say that Barrymore has risen to the status of 'great' actress. I saw the documentary and then i saw the movie. In "Grey Gardens," Barrymore IS Little Edie. The voice, the quirkiness the look. Jessica Lange, sadly, is in bed most of the time and her movements are limited, but her acting is superb.Ron Howard conveys the sadness of a man who knows that his time on earth is limited and his face shows so much anguish toward the end. He is on screen so little but adds so much.The previous reviewer nailed so much of this movie. So I will only add that Barrymore, had this movie been made for the big screen instead of for TV, deserved an Oscar nomination. But it gives me hope that I will see more of Barrymore. This TV movie portends much more greatness from Barrymore and cements Lange's place in the pantheon of great actors.The Maysayles' (see their "Salesman" documentary!!!) documentary is not to be missed and is great background for those who want to enjoy the TV movie even more.
dm4912000
First, you must see the original documentary before viewing this film.Only then will you be able to truly appreciate the acting perfection on display here. Jessica Lang and Drew Barrymore are perfect. The writing is masterful. The direction is spot on.Such talent and love for the subject matter is a rare thing to find in a film these days.Big and Little Eddy come to life in a way that was completely surprising to me. It takes rare courage to make a dramatic film based on a documentary. Such enterprises are fought with pitfalls and barriers. Even if you have not seen the original documentary, you will enjoy this film. However, if you have seen the original, you will praise this film. I cannot say enough good things. This is a must see!
Robert D. Ruplenas
****possible spoiler***** It's a real challenge to make a movie about a mother and daughter both equally quasi-demented, deluded, and self-absorbed that holds our interest and makes us care about them. And this flick doesn't meet the challenge. I remember a critic saying once that the truest test of film-making is to make us care about the characters. After watching the insufferable antics of these two highly unlikable women for about forty-five minutes I reached the "why do I care" stage. I was strongly tempted to press the "stop", button, something I have done for a very limited list of truly awful movies, but by then the "train wreck" syndrome had set in; i.e. you know, it's a horrible situation but still you can't take your eyes away and you want to see how bad the damage is. I have not seen the original "Grey Gardens" documentary done by the Maysles brothers, but it is difficult to avoid thinking of them as two vultures, for salaciously poking into the lives of two women who, like so many others with less famous connections, have fallen into decrepitude, squalor and semi-insanity. If these women had not been related to Jacqueline Kennedy, would the original documentary have been made? But I digress. I did watch all the way to the end and the final "reconciliation" scene was to me neither moving nor convincing. Fuggedaboutit.
zetes
A dramatization inspired by the Maysles Brothers' documentary Grey Gardens, starring Jessica Lange and Drew Barrymore as Big and Little Edie Beale, Jackie Kennedy Onassis' eccentric aunt and cousin. The documentary is generally considered a classic, and gives you lots of hints about who these two women are, but few real explanations. Writer/director Suscy attempts to get to the bottom of the story. The mystery of the doc is nice, but it's also good to have the whole story. Plus, I definitely respond better to dramatizations than documentaries. I would accuse the documentary, or at least raise some slight food for thought, of being a tad exploitative. I thought it presented these people almost like they were a freak show. Yes, I can see that the Maysles had sympathy for the women, but it could definitely be seen as a little mean. This dramatization doesn't have that problem whatsoever. You can completely see who these people are, where they come from, and you feel their pain more deeply. The biggest thing to recommend about this film is Drew Barrymore. I'm sure she'll win an Emmy for it. She should be winning, or at least nominated for the Oscar. I've long felt that she's a talented actress who doesn't challenge herself enough. This proves it. I hope she finds more roles as good as this one in the future. She has matured fantastically. Lange is good, too, of course. Jean Tripplehorn, also an actress who never lived up to her full potential (presumably her career died with Waterworld), appears briefly in the movie's most powerful sequence as Jackie O. The actual film, though it's well done in general (I'd also point to the awesome make-up), isn't especially well directed. It does scream "television". Not a big deal with so much good stuff on screen elsewhere.
AD
