Postcards from the Edge (1990)

Mike Nichols is as close to a William Wyler as the New Hollywood (post-1967) gives us. His movies are both impeccable and emotionally taut. They feature the very best production values and impressive acting. And they take chances carefully, which isn't actually an oxymoron. Nichols knows he's pushing boundaries, but within the established forms. Even this movie, with its insider look at Hollywood, feels ingenious in a safe way, with echoes of "The Bad and the Beautiful" but with everyone toned down to a perfect realism.

One of the tricks of this movie, which is a little over the top in so many small ways (again, careful restraint all around),is keeping the acting believable. And foremost is Meryl Streep, lovable and sympathetic but not quite admirable or otherworldly the way older generation actresses so often get portrayed. Streep as a drug-troubled actress is a wonder, and right behind, with deliberate hamminess, is the woman playing her mother, Shirley MacLaine. Add Gene Hackman and Richard Dreyfuss in smaller roles, a cameo by Rob Reiner, and a pretty boy role for Dennis Quaid, and you can see there is something cooking here.

So why isn't this a great movie? It has the trimmings of greatness, even beyond the acting. Story by Carrie Fisher, music written by Carly Simon (and performed by the cast). Photography by German import Michael Ballhaus (who by the 1990s was also working for Coppola and Scorcese).

Well, some might say it really is great. Even though it is lightweight, even airy as a farce, and even though it leaves you only slightly glad, or happy, at the end rather than transformed, you could argue that Nichols intended something with this flavor, and achieved it. Could be. But for a simple example, take his second movie, "The Graduate," and notice the same tone, humor and irony laced with important topical and emotional strains. How different the effect there, and maybe for a couple of reasons. One, I think, is the subject matter here is the famously glib, plastic, unsympathetic world of overly rich, tabloid saturated Hollywood itself. Another is the inherent plot. What happens? A woman overcomes her addiction to star in another movie, and she seems to move a little forward in her relationship with her mother. Enough? Maybe not.

But knowing it's not trying to change the world, you might appreciate the illusory nature of the medium, exposed for us in a whole bunch of different ways (moving props, back projection, doubles used for blocking and framing, lights and camera in action, screening rooms and overdubbing, and so on. This is the stuff behind the drama enacted by Streep and MacLaine and the rest. It's worth watching in its own right.

And Nichols and Ballhaus have filmed this to glossy perfection, layering and moving and keeping the long takes going as long as possible (with an apology by Hackman, as a movie director, to Streep, the actress playing the actress, for using such long takes all the time). It's almost as if Nichols is making fun of himself, and the excesses that cause the cast and crew to go a little crazy.

Brilliant and entertaining? Completely. Probing or socially satirical in any way? No, not even into Hollywood, which is safely behind all these layers. Still, a film not to miss.

The first five minutes are fine. And the film's eight-minute musical finale exudes terrific country/western spirit. But, in between, the characters reek of a glossy shallowness characteristic of a script that is not well fleshed out.

Flighty, ungrateful Suzanne Vale (Meryl Streep) is a young actress hooked on drugs, and lorded over by her annoyingly controlling, alcoholic, show-biz mother named Doris Mann (Shirley MacLaine). Their bumpy relationship provides the main thrust to the plot, as pill-popping Suzanne tries to continue her acting, while judgmental Doris imposes herself on Suzanne, as a kind of career counselor. Around these two swirl an assortment of photogenic Hollywood types, who initiate or aggravate various conflicts between Suzanne and Doris.

One would think this setup would imply a drama. Not here. The film tries to be a comedy. Some of the dialogue is indeed funny. But the comedy element contradicts the painful plight of the script's two main characters. In addition to their substance abuse problems, both Suzanne and Doris are so wrapped up in themselves, so self-centered, they're hard to root for.

The film's acting generally is overdone, at times hammy, the most egregious example being Dennis Quaid. Production design is credible. Color cinematography is conventional, but competent.

The story premise had merit. But Director Mike Nichols and writer Carrie Fisher needed to give a little more thought to the characters in this story, all of whom come across as glib, shallow, cosmetic, superficial, devoid of depth. Comedy can indeed be integrated with serious topics. But in the case of "Postcards From The Edge", it needed to be integrated with a little more finesse.

When you watch "Postcards from the Edge", you wonder how much of the character is Carrie Fisher and her mother, Debbie Reynolds. Both deny that the book and movie are about them and their relationship. However, you can't help but wonder if any of their relationship is what you read or see on the screen...especially when there are so many parallels between the characters in the film and Fisher/Reynolds. And, considering that both died not too long ago, it's a bit of a bittersweet picture to watch.

The film is very unusual in that instead of telling an entire story from start to finish, it's more a small look at a small portion of Suzanne Vale's life (Meryl Streep). So, if you are the type person who likes everything tied up nicely at the end or offer some definitive change, then you might consider skipping this one. As for me, I am glad I saw it and felt the film provides one of the most realistic looks at addiction you can find.

The film consists consists of showing Suzanne's life from just before she overdosed on pills and ended up in rehab to a period shortly after....when she's still struggling with her addiction. Through this period, it's obvious that many of her problems revolve around her problematic relationship with her world famous actress mother (Shirley MacLaine).

The best thing about the film is the writing...and Carrie Fisher left me wanting to see more of her work. Streep, as usual, was amazing. I should point out that unlike "Mama Mia", Streep's singing is good as it fits her range. Well worth seeing...and a film that left me wanting more.