Hope Springs

Dir: David Frankel

2012

***

I had very little enthusiasm for a David Frankel film that dealt with middle-age marriage guidance counselling but I watched because I love Meryl Streep, Steve Carell and Tommy Lee Jones - who I was intrigued to see in what I thought was a run of the mill light-hearted comedy romance. I was pleasantly surprised. Early clichés came thick and fast and I thought to myself 'Streep, what are you doing' but persevered, but soon I was wondering to myself 'Jones, what have you done', until a rather surprising turn of events calmed me down somewhat and I began to actually enjoy it. The first chunk of the film actually feeds the audiences unexpectedness, the clichés are intentional so the viewer is thrown off course and it is quite effective. Neither Meryl Streep nor Tommy Lee Jones break character even though they change dramatically, which is quite profound really and says a lot for their acting abilities and the film's script. There are one or two scenes that I think were thrown in for laughs that just didn't work and I'm pretty sure no one wants to see Meryl Streep giving oral sex, not now not ever, but it's doesn't quite get as bad as it could have. Steve Carell's casting is somewhat peculiar, he's very convincing as a marriage guidance counsellor but you kind of expect something else from him, given the comedy that he's famous for. The film is one big trick and a slight of hand but it's forgivable because a. It's nowhere near as bad as most of David Frankel's films and b. there is a really tender, believable and heart-warming love story going on. Streep is around 64 here and Jones was approximately 67 and both kiss passionately on screen. Call me an old romantic but I loved that, seeing an older couple kissing on screen isn't something you see ever, and for me that is real romance. I now it's Meryl Streep and I know it's Tommy Lee Jones but I was still totally convinced by their 40+ year relationship and I found the exploration of their marriage to be quite sad but very uplifting at the same time. The project was first announced back in 2010 and Jeff Bridges was in talks as the male lead. I can't see that working now I've seen Tommy Lee Jones in the role, after Bridges left James Gandolfini and Philip Seymour Hoffman were attached - which would have been great but a very different film, especially as Mike Nichols was the original director. I'm not sure it would have been the best swansong for either film maker but it turned out just fine.