Movie Review: Hope Springs

Tommy Lee Jones, Meryl Streep, and Steve Carell

Director: David Frankel
Stars: Meryl Streep, Tommy Lee Jones, Steve Carell 
Genre(s): Comedy, Drama, Romance
Release Date: August 8, 2012
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 77%

It's extremely difficult to review a movie when there is any type of bias involved, in terms of the reviewer's relationship to the film.  In this case, a great portion of Hope Springs was filmed in my hometown of Stonington, CT.  At times, I found myself focusing more on the setting than on dialogue and actual movie, and relished in recognizing shops, restaurants, and other sites that are only within a few minutes' walk of my home.  I had to exhibit quite a bit of restraint in the theatre to avoid squealing every time I spotted a street or other locale that I know so well.  I knew this was what it must have felt like to see Mystic Pizza in the theatre: feeling an astounding amount of pride for own's hometown is something that cannot be accurately described.  

Even if the movie had not received a positive score on Rotten Tomatoes, I would have surely forked out $10 to see it.  Fortunately, I was relatively pleased with the results; I say "relatively," because the film is far from perfect.  For one, as my mother so keenly pointed out, the editing is terribly choppy.  It does not appear to be a finished product, with bits of scenes becoming increasingly difficult to follow.  Additionally, long periods of silence and still cinematography can be effective, but at times one becomes bored and cannot wait for the next piece of action to commence.  The movie is nearly two hours long, which is not always a problem, yet there are numerous scenes that could have used a significant amount of cutting.  

As a budding screenwriter, I am constantly scrutinizing screenplays, and while Vanessa Taylor -- who makes her film writing debut -- imbues the main characters with substantially distinct personalities, there is a scarcity of complexity in terms of the film's supporting characters.  The two leads, Meryl Streep and Tommy Lee Jones (as Kay and Arnold Soames), are in every scene, which is not terrible, but there is only [essential] one supporting character -- Steve Carell as the couple's therapist -- and he is severely underdeveloped.  That said, I thoroughly applaud Carell, a fellow Denison University alumnus, for branching outside of his comedic comfort zone to display his dramatic acting talents.  

And yes, Hope Springs is primarily a drama, even though the trailers and posters describe it as a comedy.  Certainly, there is no shortage of witticisms and physical humor, and I had to tone down my unusually loud laugh multiple times.  Yet, the theme and heart of the movie is fairly dramatic and, at times, sad: a middle-aged, middle-class couple with grown children and an empty house struggle to rejuvenate the lost passion in their lives and, in a way, fall in love with one another again.  Marketing the movie as a comedy was not, in my opinion, the best option.  That is not to say that moviegoers will be disappointed, but they will be surprised at how heart-wrenching it is.  Finding a delicate balance between comedy and drama is nearly impossible, and Taylor's script struggles in this area.  I was not the only one who started to laugh when there was not meant to be laughter, and did not laugh when there was meant to be laughter.  

But, through all its faults, Hope Springs manages to tug on at least a few heartstrings and present an intimate portrait of a 31-year marriage that is on the precipice of disaster.  This is almost entirely due to the commitment and authenticity of Streep's and Jones' performances, but would we expect anything less of these dependable Oscar winners?  They are both unfathomably good at displaying a variety of emotions using only their eyes, and on that note, they are excellent criers.  They will most likely not win any awards, but for those concerned about the post-Oscar curse need not worry, for Streep is as good as she as ever been, and Jones is equally memorable.  

Is Hope Springs worth $10?  Well...if it is to see two celebrated actors at the top of their game, then yes, it is.  If you are looking for a more polished script and/or a film with smooth editing, then you may want to pass.  If you are a Stonington-area resident, like myself, then you will not even care whether it is terrific or terrible.  Just smile and be happy about our wonderful town getting the recognition and exposure it deserves.  

Grade: B