Why I’m A Meryl Streep Fan Girl

All right. So. I recently watched The Iron Lady. (pause) I cannot BELIEEEEEEEEEVE that she did it AGAIN!!! I sat through a Meryl Streep movie that I went to see because it was a Meryl Streep movie, and completely forgot that I was watching a Meryl Streep movie! How does she DO that?

I watch movies all the time because of an actor I want to see or a director whose filmmaking I want to observe. I’m usually aware at least at some point during the film that, “Ooh. I like that about that actor,” or “That is sooo that director.” With Ms. Streep, I can’t recall I’ve ever done that until after the film is over and I wake up from the spell she cast on me.

I mean, I wasn’t watching Margaret Thatcher, I was watching Meryl Streep, right? WRONG. I was watching Margaret Thatcher for the entire movie… until I woke up from the trance broken by the credit roll. Just like I watched Julia Child in all of her big and wonderful bubbliness, the absolutely loveable Jane, determined Sister Beauvier, high-powered Miranda Priestly, tragic Clarissa, Francesca… ah… Francesca…, vain Madeline Ashton, another Julia – so sweet and perfect, narcissistic Mary Fischer, naïve and dingo-ridden Lindy, Karen in all her epic-ness, another totally different, and not quite as well read Karen of a southern persuasion, the tragically and beautifully heart broken and damaged Sophie, and the woman who I hated and loved at the same time, Joanna Kramer—the first to entrance me, before so many others. I haven’t even named them all! (Don’t worry. I’ll stop here and let you think of the others yourself.)

She covers it all. With drama, of course, she’s more than eloquent—she’s astounding. Her sense of timing and humor in comedy is simply brilliant!

And then there’s that fact that she hasn’t had plastic surgery—and openly speaks against it. Wow. Integrity, too. Yes, it’s integrity! I hear you out there. “Well, that’s easy for her to say, she’s gorgeous!” I agree, but many a gorgeous actor has succumbed to the knife in fear and insecurity… as well as bullying from agents and studio heads. No, Ms. Streep has her head in the right place (er… pardon the pun). Her integrity also includes the many social causes she supports. (That’s another topic for another time.)

I look forward to her next film… and the one after that… and the one after that… ad infinitum.