Happy birthday Meryl Streep. Movies that prove why the triple Oscar winner is the best actress alive. Each and every one of Meryl Streep's movies are worth checking out for her performances alone, but if you're in the mood for some binge-watching, coupled with a blueprint of what her range, versatility, and ability to mold herself in any genre and character is all about, then here are five of the legend's movies that you absolutely have to check out on her birthday.
Today being Meryl Streep's birthday, let's see why she's considered by many as the G.O.A.T. of acting. She’s one of the most decorated actresses with a total of 21 Oscar nominations and three wins along with 31 Golden Globe nominations and eight wins, across her decades-long career. She is an unstoppable tour-de-force every time she’s on-screen. Meryl Streep can don any wardrobe, accent, role, and manage to make it unbelievably authentic. And the superstar doesn't limit herself to a specific genre or character type, nor has she limited herself to just one film a year. Often, she’ll pull off a light, breezy, comedic performance and a dramatic, award-winning serious role in the same year.
Each and every one of Meryl Streep's movies are worth checking out for her performances alone, but if you're in the mood for some binge-watching, coupled with a blueprint of what her range, versatility, and ability to mold herself in any genre and character is all about, then here are five of the legend's movies that you absolutely have to check out on her birthday:
The Bridges of Madison County
Streep’s most frequently overlooked role is that of a bored housewife Francesca Johnson in Clint Eastwood’s adaptation of Robert James Waller’s best-selling novel. Francesca is the embodiment of loneliness and frustration living with her husband and their children in an isolated farmhouse set against the vast stretches of land in Iowa, US. Streep takes the schmaltzy romance of the original material and transforms it into something with gravitas and passion. Where any other actor might not be as convincing, Streep persuades the audience that her character believes her affair with Eastwood’s roaming photographer Robert Kincaid is necessary to help her escape her humdrum existence. A fierce, unhurried performance is what builds the superb tension in this film.
Mamma Mia
There's nothing Meryl Streep can't do, including musicals featuring the music of ABBA. Mamma Mia! is the story of a bride-to-be, Sophie, trying to find her real father. It wouldn’t be half as good without Meryl’s standout performance as Donna Sheridan-Carmichael, Sophie's mother, and owner of the hotel Villa Donna. She sings, she dances and has three former lovers in the form of Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth, and Stellan Skarsgard vying for her affections – what more could you want?
The Devil Wears Prada
There’s a boss from Hell, and then there’s Miranda Priestly. In David Frankel’s adaptation of Lauren Weisberger’s best-seller, Streep plays a fire-breathing fashion editor who terrorizes her assistant with impossible demands, from procuring an unpublished manuscript of the next ‘Harry Potter’ book to finding a new wardrobe. Streep was rightly Oscar-nominated for the role and deserved to win for her cerulean sweater monologue alone.
The Iron Lady
Another groundbreaking real-life woman who got the Streep treatment is former British prime minister Margaret Thatcher. She took home an Oscar for this movie, creating another great history lesson in the form of entertainment. While this role helped Streep win many awards, one of the most iconic moments of The Iron Lady's success was when Streep won her third Oscar, 29 years after her second one.
The River Wild
Meryl Streep as an Action Hero? Okay, not exactly, but The River Wild did put Streep in an unfamiliar territory. She played Gail Hartman, a wife and mother who must protect her family during a whitewater-rafting trip after they befriend fellow outdoorsmen who turn out to be dangerous criminals on the run. This movie is all about a big buildup to the final run through the terrifying rapids. The movie remains a charming novelty because of Streep’s presence to date.
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