Like a good bottle of red, Meryl Streep's getting better with age and is completely satisfying to drink in on the screen. It's also great to see her daughter, Mamie Gummer, facing off with Streep. Both women are in the safe hands of Jonathan Demme, director of classic films such as The Silence Of The Lambs and Philadelphia, and with a script by Diablo Cody (Juno, United States Of Tara), there's a lot to like here.
Streep is Ricki — a woman who left her husband (Kevin Kline) and three kids to live a life of rock'n'roll. Now she's called home because her daughter, Julie (Gummer), is in distress after her husband dumped her. But how does a woman who's given up all claims to being a mother suddenly act like one? Understandably, the reception her three kids give her isn't instantly warm.
Ricki & The Flash is the name of Ricki's band, with veteran Aussie actor and pop star, Rick Springfield, as guitarist, Greg. The man still looks pretty fine for 66! We've seen Streep sing before and she raises the bar here, putting in an authentic guitar-playing rock chick performance as the hard-living, no apologies Ricki.
Ricki And The Flash won't change your life but it's an enjoyable crowdpleaser largely thanks to Streep's talents, both on and off the stage.
