• It’s a fabulous film- I’m not dying to see what Runge directs next- but it’s a triumph of intelligent writing and top-notch acting. Glen Close is the show-stopper- she’s superb, but Jonathan Pryce is very good as well and they two very dynamic complex characters and they have fascinating relationship
  • She’s a gathering storm of complex emotions- a poker face, a ticking time bomb, she’s fierce, intelligent, wounded but clearly no simple victim- she’s complicit in much of it (the scene with Elizabeth McGovern shows that she wants this spotlight, life and publicity/fame- it’s not enough for her to write- she wants an audience)
  • Clearly a timely and justified shot at the male prejudices both in the individuals and complex male-dominated systems
  • The fights between the two leads are complex- they have a son, daughter, granddaughter, they genuinely love each other (at least on some level)
  • Juxtaposition of jumping on the bed in celebration- the early one, in flashback, is “we” the latter one about winning a Pulitzer is him
  • Some great scenes of cat and mouse with strong acting between Christian Slater and Glen Close
  • The flashbacks, doled out slowly by Runge- act as a slow reveal—very well done
  • Close owns the film- she has both loud and quick moments of greatness
  • Recommend