August: Osage County had its American Film Institute film festival premiere on Friday night in Hollywood, and its pedigree is impressive to say the least. Based on the Pulitzer and Tony Award winning play by Tracy Letts, this engrossing and turbulent film is pretty much a non-stop bitchfest between Meryl Streep and Julia Roberts. The movie boasts an A-list roster throughout with a stellar ensemble cast including Abigail Breslin, the suddenly ubiquitous Benedict Cumberbach, Ewan McGregor, Juliette Lewis, Dermot Mulroney, Margo Martindale, Sam Shepard and Chris Cooper. Hollywood loves their dysfunctional family dramas, and they really love George Clooney, who is on board as a producer after his Argo win last year.
The film is quite dark, humorous at times and always truthful. Every issue that families go through is explored, spat out and thrown up on. Getting back to Hollywood’s hunk Clooney, he, along with his long-time producing partner Grant Heslov, are two of the producers on the film. Clooney hosted a pre-party for the film and was his cute and charming self, working the room like the ultimate pro he is. Will August be the lucky charm that Argo was? Time will tell, but this year the field is thick with really great movies.
As the adage goes, “No one knows anything in Hollywood.”
Clooney does have a possible supporting shot for his work in the mega hit Gravity, but the Hollywood hubbub says he probably won’t get a nom for that. Sandra and space are the real stars of that one. Clooney has yet to stump for that, but he is pressing the flesh for August, so it seems this film is his best shot. Hollywood never counts Glorious George out. How can we?
August: Osage County is being released on Dec. 25.
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