Directed by David Frankel,
written by Vanessa Taylor, with Meryl Streep, Tommy Lee Jones and Steve
Carrell. 99 minutes.
I first saw Meryl Streep, before her film career started, in a TV programme about Joe Papp’s Central Park
production of The Taming of The
Shrew. As Katherine she leapt off the screen. My wife and I asked
each other who is this woman? We soon found out. Since then she has often
played or impersonated well known
fictional characters or well known real people fictionalised, from The French
Lieutenant’s Woman, through Sophie’s Choice, to Karen Blixen and Karen
Silkwood, Lindi Chamberlain in A Cry in The Dark, in The
Devil Wears Prada and The Iron Lady . So it is
unusual to see her playing a suburban housewife in a simple domestic romantic
comedy. It is also
unusual to see a film carried by two actors in their sixties. It is
very unusual for late middle-aged sex to be portrayed on screen. And when did we see Steve Carrel
in a non-comic role?
Hope Springs is an unusual film because
it displays all four distinguishing marks. I think it is a quietly distinguished film – and
thoroughly enjoyable.
Kay and Arnold (Streep and Jones) have been married for 31 years. They met at University where he
taught and she studied accountancy. They have two grown up children and live a
middle-income suburban life. They
have slept in separate bedrooms
for four years since Arnold hurt his back and found the single bed more
comfortable. Kay
doesn’t mind that too much, as he snores.
They have not had sex for four years. Kay does mind that. It is not the sex she misses most but the intimacy;
the simple physical evidence of still being loved by the man she loves. So one day she invests in a week of ‘intensive couples
therapy’ with Dr Feld, (Carrell).
Arnold tells her she can go, on her own. When he does join her he grumbles and expostulates and
pours scorn on the Doctor and his processes and intimacy ‘exercises’. But eventually they do begin to talk. Watching Meryl Streep’s character
listening to Arnold when he reluctantly shares his own sexual fantasies is a
lesson in understated reactive comic acting. Watching Tommy Lee Jones’s character as he slowly
realizes what is at stake - his marriage - and moves beyond his fear and anger into attempted courtship
is a lesson in emotional
truthfulness. Arnold is a
strong, determined, tired man who has worked hard for 30 years to support his married life. Now he has to realize how precious that
marriage is to him and summon up the energy to save it.
Watching the two of them as they fumble and
fail, fumble and fail again, until eventually they fumble and fail better, is a
subtle, funny, charming and sometimes moving experience. Only one episode on their
emotional and sexual odyssey seemed to me misjudged. Of course ultimately
there is both sexual and marital healing. But somehow, thankfully, that resolution
never felt inevitable.
I wonder if any couples will find watching
this evidence that ‘the truth will set you free’ encourages their own intimate truth
telling. It is not about
sex, but affection and intimacy.
Maybe it will, because it seems to be a very honest film, with truthful
acting, carefully written, photographed, edited, scored, designed,
dressed and directed. I
don’t expect any Oscar nominations for this film, but I don’t expect to see any
better acting this year either. And how nice it is to see Elizabeth Shue back on
screen, albeit in a very minor role. And Steve Carrell being straight. At 99 minutes Hope Springs never outstayed its welcome.
Bob Vernon.
