Here's a little
background on Sylvia Plath, in case you are a little foggy
on your American literature. Sylvia Plath was an
author and poet who married fellow poet Ted Hughes.
She wrote "The Bell Jar" and he wrote "The
Iron Giant". After they separated in 1963, she
killed herself by putting her head in an oven. That
is the short version. "Sylvia" is the long
version -- the really, really, really, really long
version; or, at least, it certainly seemed that way.
Gwyneth Paltrow stars as Sylvia Plath, the troubled genius
who struggled with suicide all her life really.
Daniel Craig co-stars as Ted Hughes, her husband and the
eventual cause of her death because it was his leaving her
for another woman that prompted the oven incident.
Blythe Danner (coincidently, her real life mother)
stars as her mother, Aurelia Plath. This film is
basically the Sylvia Plath story, focusing primarily on
her relationship with Hughes. But, why didn't it
focus on her poetry and writings, since that is what she
is known for and what is so interesting and intriguing.
Well, that gets me into why this movie flopped.
Sylvia's real life daughter, Frieda Hughes, did not allow
the filmmakers to use any of her mother's poetry or
writings in the film. She felt they would just try
and show her to be some kind of hero, whereas I can only
assume she is bitter at her mother's killing herself.
So, without the poetry and "The Bell Jar",
Sylvia just isn't really that interesting. Sure, the
romance between she and Hughes is watchable, but the film
is called "Sylvia" -- we expect it to be about
Sylvia, which includes her entire reason for even having a
film made about her. You take that away and you are
left with nothing, except...
Gwyneth Paltrow is mesmerizing, and I have never been her
biggest fan. She wholly embodies the essence of
Plath. I have never seen her treat a performance
with such intensity and such desire. I certainly
expect this film to garner some attention from the
Academy. I don't think she has a chance of winning,
but the nomination is definitely deserving. And,
Daniel Craig, is very good as Ted Hughes. The cast,
as a whole, delivers, but there is just too much lacking
to make this a good film.
I guess I wanted more plot. I wanted more substance.
I wanted her work in the film. Had it have been me,
I would have scrapped the film totally if I couldn't use
the works. There would be no point in continuing on
with the film. And, you know they had to do some
major script re-writes when Plath's daughter dropped that
bombshell. Hardcore Plath fans might find this film
compelling, but to me Paltrow is the only real reason to
see the film. Everything else is merely tolerable.
