The Over-Glorification of the Consummate Actress
Here's our fourth guest article! This one is by Chris Geraci, who argues that while she is a great actress, Meryl Streep isn't as impeccable and unassailable as people believe.
Meryl Streep is the most overrated actress of all time.
“People are always asking me if I know Tyler Durden…”
The power of an opening hook is unparalleled. Yes, we know what the first rule of Fight Club is, and we all had a friend that carved a pink bar of soap in hope they could be a late ‘90s Brad Pitt reincarnate. We’re not going to go into depth of Fight Club, however I’m sure my opinion of it wouldn’t resonate well with the audience of this site… but that’s a discussion for another time. At this time, please say your last goodbyes to your opinion on the “actress of our generation”, Meryl Streep.
With every year that passes, Meryl Streep becomes untouchable and damn near immortal. Often regarded as the greatest actress of all time, with a resume of blockbusters and critically acclaimed films that would make anyone from Marlon Brando to Daniel Day-Lewis left salivating. Whether it was her role as a Holocaust survivor in Sophie’s Choice, working alongside Dustin Hoffman in Kramer vs. Kramer, or her role as Donna in Mamma Mia!, Streep has excelled in nearly every role she’s played and that’s not a coincidence in the least. Streep possesses a skill that I haven’t seen in many other actors and actresses. She has the ability to look at the complexity of a character from an abstract point of view that only a handful of colleagues of hers can do. Those colleagues include Frances McDormand, Tom Hanks, and Denzel Washington, who all have the ability to find the quirks and personality of a character that a blind eye couldn’t spot if they had the entire script in font of them for the entirety of their life. It’s to a point where she can conform into any character she takes on and ultimately provides a feeling of empathy no matter what the role is.
I mean, I’ve quoted Miranda Priestly more times than I’d like to admit, but that shows how substantial her ability to connect with the audience is… seriously… I’m a 25 year-old male with no sense of fashion (currently wearing a tie dye shirt with grey Nike shorts) and Streep’s character has made me quote “Florals for Spring? Groundbreaking” at the turn of every May.
Let me preface this before I indulge further, I hate Anne Hathaway. The Devil Wears Prada is my favorite Streep movie and quite frankly it’s not even close. Is this film one of Streep’s best works? Absolutely not. However, this was the first time I began to understand the allure of the Streep. It wasn’t the acting in it, but the overall presence of her acting prowess and how her supporting cast acted around her. Anne Hathaway is a trash actress, and no one can convince me otherwise. Oh you liked The Princess Diaries? No, you didn’t. You liked Julie Andrews. Oh, you liked Les Mis? You’re lying to yourself. Now Emily Blunt, I’m a fan of her, but Jim Halpert’s wife certainly is not a top tier actress.
Streep, and I can’t stress this enough, CARRIED The Devil Wears Prada without having to really act. Her facial expressions were stronger than every actor in that movie aside from Stanley Tucci. Although I love this movie and first understood the brilliance of Streep’s work from it, I’d soon find out that that something's missing.
So, let’s cut to the chase.
The whole narrative of Meryl Streep being the “GOAT” blows my mind. I know she has endless nominations/wins from all major award shows, I know collectively that Hollywood worships her as the best to ever do it, I also know she’s a damn good actress, but I also know that her reputation is a façade. It never struck a nerve until my girlfriend and my family raved about her like she’s the second coming of Christ and a month later she debuted as Mary Louise in HBO’s Big Little Lies. Mary Louise was an insufferable character - Janice and Livia Soprano type insufferable - but a great character, nonetheless. The performances from Nicole Kidman, Reese Witherspoon, and Laura Dern were incredible, so when the nominations came out and I saw Streep was nominated I genuinely got mad. The character was good, but she was nominated because the names listed above performed brilliantly. This instance made me go back and watch older Streep films and I finally found closure. Mamma Mia! had an all-star cast, Streep was nominated. The same can be said for Kramer vs. Kramer and The Deer Hunter.
It’s almost like Streep can coast through any movie and inevitably be a darling of the critics and then it finally hit me… Meryl Streep is the Radiohead of acting. Critically acclaimed regardless of any work she puts out.
Kramer vs Kramer? Meet OK Computer
The Iron Lady? Meet In Rainbows
The Devil Wears Prada? Meet The Bends
Mamma Mia? Meet Kid A
No matter what work they put out, it’s critically acclaimed… Thom Yorke? Meet Meryl Streep.
Streep is a product of being cast in great movies, being selected for great roles, embodying her character, and inevitably being acclaimed regardless of the film's success. The widespread obsession of her from people of all ages is exhausting. Many of those people have only seen Mamma Mia! The Devil Wears Prada, and It’s Complicated.
Only dead fish follow the stream and while Meryl Streep is an elite actress, she’s overrated too.
-CG