Hope Springs

Rated: PG-13

Run time: 1 hour 40 minutes

Starring: Meryl Streep, Tommy Lee Jones, Steve Carell

This movie is NOT a comedy. Will you chuckle at some places? You bet you will, but again this movie is NOT a comedy. I’m not sure if anyone other than me thought it was going to be one based on the initial previews, but I have to throw it out there, just in case.

This is the second movie in a row now that I have seen with Steve Carell showing his dramatic chops, and you know what he’s pretty dang good. He plays the quiet speaking marriage counselor, Dr. Feld in a very, laid back way. You just get the picture that nothing would ever get a rise out of this guy. But this movie really isn’t about the good doctor, it’s about a very real seeming couple that has been married for 31 years and is experiencing some problems. At least, Kay (Streep) feels there are problems, but if you ask Arnold (Jones), he will disagree. And he does disagree, very vociferously. But Kay convinces him to go to a week long intensive marriage counseling session, with Feld. More shouting follows, there are uncomfortable moments and there are touching moments. Meryl Streep plays her part as well as she always does. For me though, Tommy Lee Jones makes this movie, with his wrinkled up face (that reminds me of a Shar-Pei) and his grumpy old man character pulls the whole thing together. Overall, I think all the actors play their parts well, even Elizabeth Shue who plays Karen the bartender, and is only in the movie for maybe 5 minutes

This movie probably won’t hold much interest for those audiences under the age of thirty. However, for everyone else, especially couples that have been married for any length of time, I think there will be some part of the film that will strike a nerve somewhere (even if it’s only a little one).

Bottom line is go see this movie, I think you’ll like it.