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Weinstein Lines Up Oscar Slate, First Reactions to 'August: Osage County,' Starring Streep

Awards
by Anne Thompson and Beth Hanna
March 19, 2013 4:19 PM
4 Comments
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Streep at 2012 Oscars
First reactions are coming in for the Weinsteins' "August: Osage County," an adaptation of Tracy Letts' Pulitzer Prize-winning play with director John Wells at the helm. TWC production exec Ben Famiglietti told Harvey Weinstein that the 190-page play was "the best writing ever out of Chicago," Weinstein recalled at a Sundance panel. "It was amazing, we invested in the play, which means getting movie rights. It stars Meryl Streep and Julia Roberts, is produced by George Clooney and Grant Heslov."

Given the cast and distributor, many Tweeters are already predicting Oscar chances. Below, a look at what the early viewers are saying, and a recap of the Weinstein titles we know are hitting theaters in 2013.

A Tumblr user wrote that the film was "incredible" and "that every actor killed it." Some Tweeters shared this enthusiasm, while others were not impressed, calling it "The Lovely Bones" of this year.

Here's the Weinsteins' awards calendar to date (assuming they also pick up more films at Cannes and in months to come):

  • Aussie fest favorite "The Sapphires," a true story about an all-girl Aboriginal pop band who played Vietnam in 1968, features an especially strong Chris O'Dowd as the band's hard-drinking manager (March 22).
  • Cannes-bound Ryan Coogler's Sundance audience and grand jury award-winner "Fruitvale Station," based on the true story of Oscar Grant, is also a long-shot for awards consideration. Michael B. Jordan and Octavia Spencer are getting rave reviews, and it's a gut-wrenching tearjerker in the "precious" tradition (July 26).
  • French "Haute Cuisine," is a portrait of Provence cook Daniele Delpeuch (Catherine Frot), who was French president Francois Mitterand's country chef. (August 16). Trailer below.
  • Shane Salerno's documentary "Salinger" digs into the reclusive author's life and works (September 16).
  • Lee Daniels' "The Butler," starring Forrest Whitaker, Oprah Winfrey, Terrence Howard and John Cusack and Jane Fonda, wears its Oscar hopes on its sleeve (October 18, wide).
  • "August: Osage County," which stars Oscar perennial Streep along with Roberts, Benedict Cumberbatch and Ewan McGregor, has a prime awards-season release date (November 8, limited).
  • Justin Chadwick's Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom, written by William Nicholson, stars Idris Elba as Nelson Mandela and "Skyfall"‘s Naomie Harris as Winnie Mandela. (November 29, limited)
  • Olivier Dahan's "Grace of Monaco" stars Nicole Kidman as the Hollywood star who married Prince Rainier III of Monaco (Tim Roth). (December 27, limited)
  •  "One Chance," directed by David Frankel ("Hope Springs"), stars Tony-winner James Corden as Welsh steel mill worker Paul Potts, who was catapulted to fame and fortune as an opera singer following his success on Britain's Got Talent. Julie Walters and Colm Meany co-star. "This is not a bullshit fairy tale," says Weinstein. "It's gritty, a great cast, it's grounded." (date TBD)



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More: Awards, Awards, Weinsteins, The Weinstein Company, Meryl Streep, Meryl Streep, Julia Roberts, Julia Roberts

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4 Comments

  • Sam | March 21, 2013 6:32 PMReply

    Try as I might, I just cant see Julia Roberts pulling off that part. Seems so miscast to me. I really hope she proves me wrong. Its one of the best plays of the last decade in my opinion. The rest of the casting has me excited though. (And obviously Meryl is a goddess, but when they annouced this as a film, I immediately started wondering what Glenn Close would come up with as Violet).

  • Anne Thompson | March 19, 2013 7:49 PMReply

    Fruitvale is a long shot but I added it. The Butler...I have my doubts.

  • BurntToast | March 25, 2013 12:24 AM

    Excuse me, Anne, but your bias is showing. Seems to me that THE hit of Sundance...Fruitvale would be a likely contender. And as for The Butler, two words. OPRAH WINFREY.

  • question | March 19, 2013 7:05 PMReply

    Are you leaving Fruitvale and The Butler off the list on purpose, or did you just forget?

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