Score : 8/10
Year : 1982 (limited in USA) (1983 rest of the releases)
Country: USA & UK
Language: English (several long scenes in German, Polish)
Duration: 2h30 (IMDB) (2h24 : French DVD with Pal Speedup).
Writers: William Styron (novel, same title) & Alan J. Pakula (screenplay)
Full cast (IMDB)
I didn't expect Sophie's choice to be the heavy drama that it grew to be. Actually, when I took the dvd in the library, I didn't read the plot. I saw Meryl Streep, Kevin Kline and Peter MacNicol credited, and thought it'd be a good movie - which it was indeed.
It all starts in 1947, when Stingo, a young writer, arrives to a boarding house in Brooklyn. The movie is told mostly from his point of view, except when characters interact and tell their stories. The main two are those he meets at his door step. Nathan and Sophie have a dysfunctional relationship, which is explained bit by bit as the movie progresses, as character's backstories are told either verbally, or with the addition of flashback scenes, but without any corny artificial means to introduce them. The character talks and discusses past event, and the edit flows naturally to it.
Beware that in view of the storyline happening in the 1940's, there are depictions regarding WW2, with depictions of concentration camps. They are disturbing in their context, but aren't graphic like they could have been. One cannot skip these, as they are essential, so if you cannot cope with the topic, don't watch this, as once the heavy part of the film starts, it remains until the end.
Meryl Streep's performance, her accent, and her make up for her scenes are absolutely spot-on and superbly executed. Kline & MacNicol in their own roles are also convincing. Streep actually received an Academy award of Best Actress for it, and now that I've seen the movie, I concur with this award.
Overall, this movie brings the feels, including during those disturbing bits. Sophie's choice is revealed rather late, and explains everything that was before, and fits in the subsequent parts of the story.
Music is instrumental and fits in the period, preserving the dramatic effect - which turns to quitter scenes for more intensity.
Dialogues are well written, and portrayal of mental illnesses is realistic, and not stigmatizing, which is refreshing. At times, they and some scenes, include sexual references, coarse language, prejudice ; some scenes with verbal abuse, threats, profanity, partial nudity is shown, so this movie is definitely for a mature audience on all levels, even if it's not graphic, nor gratuitous.
Also, there are 2 scenes which pertain to suicide (1 about attempt and in another, bodies of a man and a woman who did commit are seen but not graphically).
The movie is rated R, for all its thematic material.
The sound on our library's DVD was only 2.0 stereo and I needed subtitles for several dialogues (English as well as German & Polish).
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