Harvey must have known that we were doing an Awards Profile about his crown jewel August: Osage County yesterday so he went and had a test screening last night! The joys of these here interwebs means that reactions were instantaneous and we’ve rounded up some of the comments. Did the movie excel or fail? Check out the opinions after the jump!
Tumblr user IOweUrl - It was incredible. Every actor killed it. It did such a great job of moving between humor and drama, I can’t even. And Benedict was so amazing and adorable I melted into a puddle and almost fell out of my chair multiple times. HE SINGS. SINGS. S I N G S. And is 100% adorable in his short amount of screen time. It still had some editing to do, just some cleaning up, and one of the bulbs in the project went out and we had to wait 20 minutes to resume the film, but it was free and amazing and I really really can’t wait to see it again!!
@mks373 - Also If Julia Roberts is nominated in the best supporting category, she too will take home another Oscar! Otherwise Margo Martindale will win Best Supporting actress.
@bexatious Just finished a preview of August: Osage County. It was. NOT. GOOD. I do not recommend it.
@Candzbee Meryl Streep and Julia Roberts are unbelievably brilliant in August Osage county. Oscars for everyone! Tracy Letts has done it again!
@spellingwitch August: Osage County. Ben: sweet. Story: fucked up. Meryl Streep: Oscar.
AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY just had its first test screening. Overwhelmingly positive reviews. Praise for Meryl Streep and Julia Roberts.
— Michael Schwartz (@mikemovie) March 19, 2013
August: Osage County. it’s the ELAIC, Lovely Bones, & Nine of the year. Tries way too hard… maybe like an acting nom for Streep. THAT’S IT
— Sweet Indian (@TheLillyIndian) March 19, 2013
For anyone wondering, I do see Julia Roberts going supporting for AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY. Haven’t seen it yet (obviously), but still…
— Donovan J. Warren (@202chicago) March 19, 2013
Re: Supporting Males
Ewan McGregor: He was fine, but completely reactionary to Julia. I don’t see him happening. (Terence’s Thoughts: nooooooooooo!)
Benedict Cumberbatch: I really liked him a lot; he was really sad and heartbreaking, but he really doesn’t have all that much to do here. It’s too bad that his character gets robbed for a reaction to the big reveal.
Chris Cooper: Has the best male role and by far the most sympathetic character in the film. His telling off of Margo Martindale’s character got applause from the audience, so if many of the men get any traction, it’ll be him
Thoughts?
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Tags: Abagail Breslin, August: Osage County, benedict cumberbatch, Chris Cooper, Dermont Mulroney, Ewan McGregor, John Wells, Julia Roberts, Julianne Nicholson, Juliette Lewis, Margo Martindale, Meryl Streep, Misty Upham, news, Oscar hopeful, Sam Shepard, secret screening, the weinstein company, Tracy Letts
13 Comments
I think its disappointing that the writer didnt expand on his play. If youve seen the play you will know exactly what to expect. If you go to all the trouble of filming a broadway play at least give some added value. For instance they could have expanded on the big reveal. Show the 2 characters affected making a decision on the way forward. Without giving too many spoilers away I;d have liked the female character affected by the big reveal to keep the news to herself and run off with the other character. That would have been a powerful end.
aocfan(Quote) (Reply)
you saw it????? Please tell us more! lol
In all honesty, the big reveal, to me anyway, was such an afterthought given all of the other foolishness going on in the family.
I do wonder about your comments regarding expanding the play. I’ve seen so many pictures of the cast outside when the play takes place inside. Do those scenes add value? Virigina Woolf did a great job of expanding a chamber piece, I wonder if this one does.
Terence Johnson(Quote) (Reply)
http://www.facebook.com/#!/photo.php?fbid=483953421659359&set=a.451469504907751.103406.451466198241415&type=1&theater
GERARD KENNELLY(Quote) (Reply)
I saw this last night and was quite a fan.
I noticed the predictions for next years oscars on the left. I think they need to change a bit when it comes to the acting categories.
Julia will be the front runner in supporting actress. I wouldn’t be surprised, and would be thrilled if Margo Martindale also made this category. People shouldn’t discount her as she has a particularly oscar-worthy clip towards the end of the film.
I saw this play 6 times on broadway so had unreasonably high expectations, but for the most part the film delivered.
The additions are all very faithful in tone to the play. For the most part everything is very subtle. For instance a lot of the scenes that might have taken place down stage right are now in a car going to the funeral. There is a scene added on to the end of the play that I was not quite a fan of, but other than that it is a very faithful adaptation.
It ran about 2 hours and 30 minutes.
Augustfan(Quote) (Reply)
By why must Julia compete in supporting? Whyyyyyyyy? lol That character is so lead. Martindale could also be in play, that character won Rondi Reed a Tony so she’s def gonna be in contention
I’m glad to hear it’s faithful to the play, which I love, and that it’s still lengthy.
Terence Johnson(Quote) (Reply)
Augustfan, what about Meryl Streep? What did you think of her?
Mikael(Quote) (Reply)
Yeah, damn about Ewan McGregor. I have him in my 5 for Supporting at the moment.
Mark Johnson(Quote) (Reply)
If Roberts goes supporting, there is no justice in the world.
Rico(Quote) (Reply)
Definitely, Meryl and Julia wil be considered in different categories as Weisteins are afraid of votes split. However, I don’t believe in Meryl to win 4th Oscar right now… I think there is a performance by female who we’re not considering as possible front-runner and it will drop later this year. It smells like a year of overdues-2013. Diaz or Watts or Pfeiffer-Fassbender or diCaprio – Keener or Mulligan – Pit or Brolin
Genadijus(Quote) (Reply)
The overdue thing is what could trip Streep up. Many of her losses where against people with better “stories” or “overdueness”.
Terence Johnson(Quote) (Reply)
I don’t see a lot of the people mentioned above as “overdue.,” especially Diaz. By no stretch of the imagination has she delivered performances that make me think that she is overdue for an Oscar, and I think I’ve seen everything of note that she’s done. (Being John Malkovich, Vanilla Sky, Gangs of New York, the comedies)
I hope Martindale is in supporting and wins. I would rather other actresses win than Streep and Roberts.
JulieFe(Quote) (Reply)
you got a mention for the scoop…
http://moviepilot.com/stories/896657-august-osage-county-test-screening-oscars-for-everyone?stamp=71366&subscribe_to=579386&utm_campaign=august-osage-county-test-screening-oscars-for-everyone&utm_medium=facebook&utm_source=fb-channel-legendary-directors
steve(Quote) (Reply)
Disappointed to hear that McGregor is an unlikely Oscar player.
Great performances are their own rewards, but it’s still upsetting that he’s never managed to gain any traction for stuff as high quality as Moulin Rouge, Transpotting, Ghost Writer, etc.
Amir(Quote) (Reply)