The only thing wrong with Clint Eastwood's radiantly romantic movie is Robert James
Waller's relentlessly excessive best-seller. And even then, it's no contest. Eastwood and
co-star Meryl Streep perform alchemy here; while adhering to whatever it was that sold 5.6
million copies of Waller's book, they've transformed the material into something far
better. Yeah. it's still a weepie, but whatta weepie. Even if you didn't read the book,
you probably already know the story: unfulfilled farmer's wife (Streep) is left home alone
while the husband and kids go to the state fair. Along comes roving photographer hunk
(Eastwood) and the rest is...well, how about Last Tango in Iowa? The movie works because
the stars work. To paraphrase what someone once said about Astaire and Rogers, he gives her
sex and she gives him class. Together, they're the best thing to happen to Iowa since Kevin
Costner built that baseball diamond in his cornfield.
Copyright 1994-2008 Film Scouts LLC
Created, produced, and published by Film Scouts LLC
Film Scouts® is a registered trademark of Film Scouts LLC
All rights reserved.
