Rating of
3/4
Naturalistic Acting
Franz Patrick - wrote on 09/02/08
The set-up between the three leads–Meryl Streep, Kevin Kline, Peter MacNicol–somewhat reminded me of “The Dreamers” minus the sexual acts. “Sophie’s Choice” is more about secrets and the emotions that go along with them. Even though it’s about two and a half hours long, it managed to keep my interest because I had a feeling that there’s something more about the three characters. As the story unfolded, we find out that two of the three are not who they seem. I think the best scenes are the flashbacks in sepia, back when Streep’s character was going through the Nazi occupation. Her struggle was heartbreaking and it explains why she eventually became so vulnerable and dependent in Kline’s character. The “choice” scenes was nothing short of devastating. I think Streep deserved her Oscar win because I forgot that she was playing a character; throughout the movie, I found myself thinking that Sophie is just another person telling her story. Nonetheless, the film would have been less satisfying without the talent of Kline and MacNicol which met Streep’s greatness. The last few scenes are melancholy but they feel so right. I don’t recommend this to casual moviegoers because they may grew restless. But I definitely recommend this to people that love films, especially those that are fond of drama and storytelling.
