August: Osage County
Short description
The Weston family's three adult daughters have long gone their separate ways, but a crisis at the family home in rural Oklahoma brings them back together and face to face with Violet, the difficult, unpredictable mother who raised them. A reunion meant for mourning soon turns into open conflict, as long-suppressed grievances and secrets surface among the sisters, their partners and their relatives. The film is an adaptation of Tracy Letts's Pulitzer Prize-winning play of the same name, with Letts himself writing the screenplay.
John Wells directed, following his 2010 debut The Company Men and preceding Burnt in 2015. Meryl Streep plays Violet, with Julia Roberts, Julianne Nicholson and Juliette Lewis as her daughters, and Ewan McGregor and Margo Martindale among the supporting cast.
Made for a budget of 25 million US dollars, the film took around 74 million worldwide. On IMDb it holds a rating of 7.2 from roughly 99,000 votes, while on TMDB it stands at 6.9 from about 1,620 votes; a critics' score of 6.5 from 205 reviews places it close to the audience response.
What's left behind the scenes
- Renée Zellweger and Andrea Riseborough were considered for a role in the film. Riseborough was chosen, but later dropped out of the project due to scheduling conflicts. Juliette Lewis replaced her.
- Jim Carrey was considered for a role in the film.
- Chloë Grace Moretz auditioned for the role of Jean Fordham, but lost out to Abigail Breslin.
- Abigail Breslin had a high fever during her audition.
- Tracy Letts objected to Harvey Weinstein's decision to cast British actors for the film (Ewan McGregor, Benedict Cumberbatch, Andrea Riseborough, who nearly got the role of Karen, etc.), but to no avail. Letts was against it because the script stipulated that all the characters were American. However, he admitted that his point of view changed after watching the film.
- Tracey Letts wanted the same actors who participated in the stage production to star in the film. Ultimately, none of them appeared in the movie.
- The sheriff's car has Oklahoma County license plates, which is located a two-and-a-half-hour drive from Osage County.
- In the breakfast scene, the sisters and mother smash dishes on the table, and a moment later, a full plate is back in place near Julia Roberts’ character.
- The film is based on Tracy Letts' play "August: Osage County" (2007).
- The premiere of the play "August: Osage County" took place in Chicago in 2007. It was later also staged in New York on Broadway. In 2008, Letts received the Pulitzer Prize for this play.
- During the promotional tour for the film "Snow White: A Tale of Terror" (2012), Julia Roberts burst into tears mid-interview when she shared the news with a reporter that she would be acting alongside Meryl Streep in her next film, whom she called her favorite actress.
- The second trailer featured the song "Stubborn Love" by The Lumineers.
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