The premiere of "August: Osage County" at the Toronto Film Festival launched the film's Oscar campaign earlier this week.
The movie, starring Meryl Streep and Julia Roberts, tells the story a family who is reunited when crisis strikes.
The film premiered on Monday at Toronto with Roberts, Chris Cooper, Ewan McGregor, Abigail Breslina and director John Wells all present. However, Streep was absent due to illness. The movie opened to an effusive response from the audience, but critics were mixed on the film. While the performances were praised, some felt the movie was flat.
Scott Foundas of Variety was enthusiastic and stated, "This two-ton prestige pic won't win the hearts of highbrow critics or those averse to door-slamming, plate-smashing, top-of-the-lungs histrionics, but as a faithful filmed record of Letts' play, one could have scarcely hoped for better."
David Rooney of the Hollywood Reporter also liked the film: "An entertaining adaptation, delivering flavorful rewards in some sharp supporting turns that flank the central mother-daughter adversaries."
Tom Robey of the Daily Telegraph also gave the movie a positive review and stated, "A vastly enjoyable theatrical banquet, if perhaps not a profound one, is served up in a bit of a rush here, as if they can't wait to get the next sitting in. But you certainly don't come away feeling hungry."
Meanwhile the Playlist's Kevin Jagernauth gave the movie a C- and said, "'August: Osage County' is a film of big, wild gestures, plate smashing, screaming and tears, but not nuance, and it all has the effect of leaving one deadened, not moved."
The Guardian's Catherine Shoard also disliked the movie and wrote "Wells sacrifices flair to fidelity. Letts is one of the most formidable talents around today, but in handling his screenplay with such kid gloves, Wells puts a passenger in the driver's seat."
The Weinstein Company is slated to release the movie on Dec. 25. "August: Osage County" is rated R for language including sexual references, and for drug material.
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