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Click above to purchase "Postcards From The Edge" at
amazon.com
Postcards From The Edge
review by Anthony D.
Rated R
Studio: Columbia/Tri-Star
Running Time: 102 minutes
Starring Meryl Streep, Shirley MacLaine, Dennis Quaid,
Gene Hackman, Simon Callow, Annette Bening, Mary Wickes,
Robin Bartlett
Written by Carrie Fisher
Based upon her book
Directed by Mike Nichols
Retail Price: $24.95
Features: Carrie Fisher Commentary, Bonus Trailers,
Talent Files, Production Notes
Specs: 1.85:1 Anamorphic Widescreen, 1.33:1 Full
Frame, English Dolby Surround, French Stereo, Spanish
Stereo, Portuguese Stereo, English Subtitles, French
Subtitles, Spanish Subtitles, Portuguese Subtitles, Chinese
Subtitles, Korean Subtitles, Thai Subtitles, Chapter
Search
Greetings! Having a wonderful time! Wish you were here in
Sunny Los Angeles! So many fascinating people to see! Look
there's Meryl Streep! Isn't she great?! Oooooh! And Shirley
Maclaine! You remember her? She was in "Terms of Endearment"
with that Nicholson guy...There's Dennis Quaid! And Annette
Bening! Gene Hackman, too! Well, gotta run! I'll tell you
e-v-e-r-y-t-h-i-n-g, later...love, the edge.
No, the 1990 film "Postcards from the Edge" is not really
the celluloid conceit of literal postal quips from U2's
guitarist. Thankfully it is a star-studded humorous account
of Suzanne Vale's struggles with her life as she tries to
open herself up to a drug-free existence. Suzanne finds that
drugs may be the least of her problems. Her career is on the
skids. Her new boyfriend is sleeping around. Her mother,
Doris Mann, a fading show-business queen, mixes vodka
breakfast shakes. Her manager has taken French leave with
all her assets. Grandma and Grandpa are both dottering,
though doting. Not exactly a cushy life in La La Land.
Though plotless, "Postcards from the Edge" remains one of
my favorite films from the 1990's. Adapted by Carrie Fisher,
from her novel, "Postcards," lets us into the real world of
Hollywood that's not always seen on the screen. Carrie based
her novel on her own experiences with drug re-hab, so many
of the scenes have a truthfulness not always accorded to a
comedy. In an unlikely piece of casting, Meryl Streep plays
Suzanne, the character based on Fisher. Streep doesn't
portray a recognizable Carrie Fisher, but a vulnerable
child-woman who uses her wisecracking humor to fend off
anger and hurt. Matching Streep beat for beat in the acting
department is Shirley MacLaine, as Suzanne's alcoholic
mother - - or, if you look at the "real life" counterpart,
then Shirley is playing Debbie Reynolds - - who dishes the
dirt as easily as offering a compassionate shoulder to lean
on. Shirley even manages to belt out a stunning version of
Stephen Sondheim's survivor anthem, "I'm Still Here" in a
birthday party scene after Meryl has tenderly sung the Ray
Charles classic, "You Don't Know Me." The relationship
between these two women is the fulcrum of Nichols' film, and
the two stars more than measure up to the task. Filling out
the remainder of the cast are familiar Hollywood faces, in
what amount to glorified cameos: Gene Hackman as a very
understanding and loving director, Richard Dreyfuss as a
doctor who not only pumps stomachs, but sends flowers
afterwards, Dennis Quaid as a romantic interest whose
interests DON'T include monogamy, Michael Ontkean as an
acting buddy, Rob Reiner as a troubled producer and Annette
Benig as one of Suzanne's romantic rivals.
Columbia TriStar has carefully preserved Michael Balhaus'
exquisite photography with an anamorphically enhanced
presentation, with a widescreen (1.85:1) version on the
disc's first side, and a full screen version on the second.
Colors are subdued, but no more than they were in the
theatrical release. Suzanne's Hollywood is not the Day-Glo
Hollywood we're accustomed to seeing on the screen, but
rather a soft-focused (drug-eyed, perhaps) town where the
characters are more colorful than the scenery. It's very
appropriate that Doris is wearing a red dress when she takes
the stage at Suzanne's birthday party. One couldn't ask for
a better presentation of the actors' skin tones, especially
in close-up. Check out Shirley MacLaine's tender close-up in
Chapter Eleven as Meryl performs: the ruby earrings dangling
beneath her auburn hair, blue eyes sparkling, rosy cheeks,
all above the fire-engine red sequined dress. Contrasted
with Meryl's faded-blue denim jacket, flaxen hair and
porcelain, almost alabaster skin. The colors are true to the
cinematographer's intent. I spotted very little grain, even
in the scenes set with mostly ambient lighting. As the film
progresses, the color presentation accurately reflect the
mood of the film's leading lady, until it finally bursts
through with a sunny display of happiness on a studio
soundstage.
The lack of a Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround track is not
that surprising, as this is a film that is dialogue laden.
The Dolby Surround is a pleasant enough experience, keeping
the dialogue quite up-front. Surround sound is infrequently
used, but most noticeably in the film's finale. And what a
finale it is! Shel Silverstein contributed a
country-flavored survivor anthem which, is Suzanne's
showcase, not to mention Meryl's, "I'm Checkin' Out" which
plays nicely against Doris' "I'm Still Here" in terms of
personal growth. With this anthem, the bass kicks in, the
honky-tonk piano comes to the forefront and the rear
speakers throb with music. Alternate soundtrack options are
the French, Spanish or Portuguese tracks, both of which
feature the songs in English.
For some strange reason, the original theatrical trailer
is not one of the disc's Special Features, in its place are
the trailers for two other Columbia TriStar films: "As Good
as It Gets" and "Jerry Maguire" which have absolutely
nothing in common with the feature. "Postcards from the
Edge" features a very accurate closed-captioned rendering of
the film's dialogue, as well as seven (!) foreign language
subtitle options. The Talent Files offer up several text
pages for each of the film's major contributors, each
accompanied by a fine portrait designed as a postage stamp.
The best Special Feature, and one of the best commentary
tracks I've ever heard, is Carrie Fisher's laugh-out-loud
running commentary. With her deadpan delivery, and
steel-trap memory, Fisher is every bit as entertaining as
the film itself. Carrie goes to great pains to convince
viewers that Doris Mann IS NOT Debbie Reynolds, and that
Debbie was a serious candidate for the role (how weird THAT
would have been?!?!), and that Meryl took several of
Carrie's personal idiosyncracies and utilized them in her
her brilliant characterization. Carrie's commentary is not
to be missed.
"Postcards from the Edge," ultimately is a picaresque
morality play. Vignettes from Susan's newly drug-free life
are played out against the literal and fictional backgrounds
of Hollywood. Mike Nichols smooth directorial reins trot out
highly comic portrayals of show business types from a
thoroughbred ensemble cast. To say that "Postcards from the
Edge" is Meryl's, or Shirley's film would ultimately be
dismissing the fine work of Gene Hackman, Dennis Quaid,
Richard Dreyfuss, Annette Bening and Robin Bartlett - - not
to mention Michael Ontkean, Simon Callow, Conrad Baines and
Mary Wickes. Each player is given his/her due, thanks to
Fisher's screenplay. Possibly too "show-busy" for some, with
quite a few Hollywood in-jokes, "Postcards" is a very fine
comedy, and ranks as one of Mike Nichols' better films. It
certainly has a limited appeal, and first-time viewers
should be cautioned to try "Postcards from the Edge" as a
rental feature, before deciding on its purchase.
 (4/5 - NOT included in
final score)
 (3.5/5)
(3.5/5)
 (2/5)
(4/5,
NOT an average)
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