Ironweed (film): Difference between revisions

[[File:Ironweed House Slingerlands Historic District 1511 New Scotland Road.jpg|alt=pale blue Victorian house with ornate woodwork|thumb|Victorian house, known as the Dillenbeck House, in Slingerlands, NY (outside Albany), used in the film ''Ironweed.''.]]

'''''Ironweed''''' is a 1987 American [[Drama (film and television)|drama film]] directed by [[Héctor Babenco]]. Adapted to the screen by [[William Kennedy (author)|William Kennedy]] from his [[Ironweed (novel)|similarly- named]] [[Pulitzer Prize for Fiction|Pulitzer Prize]]-winning–winning novel, ''Ironweed'' stars [[Jack Nicholson]] and [[Meryl Streep]], with [[Carroll Baker]], [[Michael O'Keefe]], [[Diane Venora]], [[Fred Gwynne]], [[Nathan Lane]], and [[Tom Waits]] in supporting roles. The story concerns the relationship of a homeless couple--Franciscouple—Francis, an [[Alcoholism|alcoholic]], and Helen, a [[Terminal illness|terminally ill]] woman--duringwoman—during the years following the [[Great Depression]]. Major portions of the film were shot on location in [[Albany, New York]]. The film received mixed reviews and was a [[box-office bomb]], but Nicholson and Streep [[60th Academy Awards|received Oscar nominations]] for [[Academy Award for Best Actor|Best Actor]] and [[Academy Award for Best Actress|Best Actress]], respectively, for their performances.

The story is set during the 1930s [[Great Depression]]. Francis Phelan (Nicholson), a washed-up and retired baseball player, deserted his family in the 1910s after accidentally dropping his infant son, causing the child's death. It is implied that Francis was drunk at the time, but he claims he was just tired and fails to understand why no one believesbelieved him. Francis became a [[Homeless|vagrant]], roaming streets and punishing himself by recalling men he knew who died years earlier in different circumstances. Wandering into his hometown of Albany on [[Halloween]] in 1938, Phelan seeks out his lover and drinking companion, Helen Archer (Meryl Streep). The two meet up in a mission managed by Reverend Chester ([[James Gammon]]), and later in Oscar Reo's (Gwynne) gin mill. Over the next few days, Phelan takes a few minormenial jobs to support Helen, while haunted by visions of his past. Eventually, Francis returns to his old family house and tries to make peace with his wife Annie (Carroll Baker), his son Billy ([[Michael O'Keefe]]), and his daughter Peg ([[Diane Venora]]). Meanwhile, local vigilantes attempt to violently drive the homeless out of Albany. During the course of the day, a series of events unfolds that permanently changeschange Francis' life.

The film received mixed reviews. On [[Rotten Tomatoes]], the film has an approval rating of 5860% based on reviews from 2425 critics. The website's critics consensus reads, "Jack Nicholson and Meryl Streep play masterfully off each, but ''Ironweed''{{'}}s unrelenting bleakness proves to be more monotonous than compelling."<ref>{{cite web |title= Ironweed (1987) |url= http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/ironweed/ |website= [[Rotten Tomatoes]] |access-date= 1226 JanuaryJune 2024 |archive-date= 25 June 2020 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20200625131640/https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/ironweed |url-status= live }}</ref> At the time of its release, it garnered enthusiasm because of the presence of stars Jack Nicholson and Meryl Streep.

[[Roger Ebert]] wrote, "Nicholson and Streep play drunks in ''Ironweed'', and actors are said to like to play drunks, because it gives them an excuse for overacting. But there is not much visible 'acting' in this movie; the actors are too good for that." Ebert gave the film three stars out of four.<ref>[{{Cite web |url=http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/19880212/REVIEWS/802120302/1023, |title=Roger Ebert (February, 1988) "Ironweed"] |access-date=2008-12-24 |archive-date=2009-02-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090203175711/http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/19880212/REVIEWS/802120302/1023, |url-status=live }}</ref>

Streep received raves from most critics. [[Janet Maslin]] of ''[[The New York Times]]'' wrote that "Meryl Streep, as ever, is uncanny. Miss Streep uses the role of Helen as an opportunity to deliver a stunning impersonation of a darty-eyed, fast-talking woman of the streets, an angry, obdurate woman with great memories and no future. There isn't much more to the film's Helen than this, and indeed the character may go no deeper, but she's a marvel all the same. Behind the runny, red-rimmed eyes, the nervous chatter, and the haunted expression, Miss Streep is even more utterly changed than her costar, and she even sings well. The sequence in which Helen entertains the real and imagined patrons of a bar room with a rendition of 'He's Me Pal' is a standout."<ref>[https://movies.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=9B0DE5DB163BF93BA25751C1A961948260 Maslin, Janet. The New York Times (December, 1987) "Ironweed (1987) Film: 'Ironweed,' From Hector Babenco"]</ref>

Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat appreciated the film's spiritual message, writing, "Mixing realistic and surreal scenes, [[Argentinean]] director Héctor Babenco puts the accent on what he calls the spiritual dimensions of William Kennedy's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel... If you ride with the emotional undertow of ''Ironweed'', there's no way you'll ever look at street people in quite the same way".<ref>[http://www.spiritualityandpractice.com/films/films.php?id=6324 Brussat, Frederic and Mary Ann] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120313225422/http://www.spiritualityandpractice.com/films/films.php?id=6324 |date=2012-03-13 }}. ''Spirituality & Practive'', film review, February 1988. Last accessed: January 29, 2011.</ref>

| rowspan="2"| [[60th Academy Awards|Academy Awards]]<ref name="Oscars1988">{{Cite web|title=The 60th Academy Awards (1988) Nominees and Winners|url=http://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/1988|access-date=31 July 2011|work=oscars.org|archive-date=2 April 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402004300/http://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/1988|url-status=live}}</ref>

| [[45th Golden Globe Awards|Golden Globe Awards]]<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.goldenglobes.com/film/ironweed |title=Ironweed – Golden Globes |website=[[HFPA]] |access-date=July 5, 2021 |ref={{harvid|HFPA|1988}} |archive-date=March 31, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160331194604/https://www.goldenglobes.com/film/ironweed |url-status=live }}</ref>

| [[1987 Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards|Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.lafca.net/Years/1987.php |title=The 13th Annual Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards |website=[[Los Angeles Film Critics Association]] |access-date=July 5, 2021 |archive-date=December 8, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191208145054/http://www.lafca.net/Years/1987.php |url-status=live }}</ref>

| [[1987 New York Film Critics Circle Awards|New York Film Critics Circle Awards]]<ref>{{cite web |url=https://mubi.com/awards-and-festivals/nyfccas?year=1987 |title=1987 New York Film Critics Circle Awards |website=[[Mubi (streaming service)|Mubi]] |access-date=July 5, 2021 |archive-date=March 4, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210304041718/https://mubi.com/awards-and-festivals/nyfccas?year=1987 |url-status=live }}</ref>