Rating of
3/4
Possesses a Silent Power
Franz Patrick - wrote on 09/15/08
This picture possesses a silent power that cannot be found in many modern family dramas. Dustin Hoffman and Meryl Streep did a great job as far-from-perfect parents; one chose to leave and one had to stay. Eventually, they fight for their child in the courtroom but not in a loud or very dramatic way; it was done in a very naturalistic manner which made the film all the more impressive. The script is very smart in showing how the characters changed in a span of eighteen months. For instance, there’s a scene in the beginning that’s done again in the end to show how the two characters have evolved. There’s no wasted scene here–often, a struggle is shown that will eventually change the character’s outlook on how to parent or prioritize. Still, the title suggests that there will be a war between the father and mother but it never really happened, so it was kind of misleading. Another thing is that some critics say that the film did not favor one parent over the other. I disagree because Hoffman has a considerable screen time than Streep. I think the film would be more balanced if the two lead actors had an equal amount of time in front of the camera. It would feel more like what’s at stake is very, very crucial (or more important than it already is). This is a great family drama–its power mostly lies in the unsaid than the things that are said.
