Ahhh, Hope Springs. Sounds like another boring, geriatric romance that also contains a young couple in love so the demographic is widened. But noooo, this was actually a smart, realistic portrayal of two older people that have fallen out of love and don't want to talk about it.
At moments, the movie feels slightly provincial in view. The great Meryl Streep, at points may even overplay the dim, simple American housewife and Tommy Lee Jones may at times overplay the grumpy curmudgeon. I really don't care. The acting from them blew me away; I was shocked by how emotional I became and how much I cared about these two elderlies love life. The movie becomes magic in the marriage counselor's (Steve Carell) office. The frank sex talk is humorous but so much more affecting because of the frankness and awkwardness that comes about.
This is a no-frills film. It should be. It doesn't get into all the possible complex problems that could have arisen over the years between the two people. Hope Springs has a straightforward and universal story to tell and it does so with extraordinary simplicity and poignancy - how could you not be taken in by it's spell? Oscar worthy?
Recommended Viewing: Defending Your Life - Silkwood - Coal Miner's Daughter
Bob Scale: Objective: 6.5 - Subjective: 7.4
MetaCritic: 67
Rotten Tomatoes: 74
IMDB: 6.6
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