Culture

Hope Springs is best described as a quirky comedy for the 30-plus demographic. Meryl Streep is a dazzling yet obvious choice as housewife Kay, and Tommy Lee is well cast as her somewhat dim-witted husband Arnold.

The plot is simple: Kay feels trapped in their stale marriage, but Arnold is oblivious and refuses to acknowledge any problems. When asked by their children what they got each other for their anniversary, there is an awkward silence until Kay replies, “Oh! We got each other the new, uh, cable subscription. A lot of channels.”

After much coaxing, Kay eventually gets Arnold to accompany her on a week-long holiday to Hope Springs, in which they will undergo intensive marriage counselling with specialist Dr Bernie Feld (Steve Carrell). The film retains an even balance of comedy and insight as we witness the couple’s genuine struggle to repair their marriage. Dr Feld’s frank questions about the couple’s sex life serve as a comic foil for Carell’s characteristic awkward humour, particularly when Kay and Arnold attempt intimacy with disastrous consequences.

For the majority of the film we are acutely aware of Kay’s unhappiness and Arnold’s lack of action. Undoubtedly female viewers will relate to Kay’s character, and there is a definite sense of relief when Arnold finally begins to understand the situation and takes some action.

I went into this film knowing that it had Meryl Streep in it, so it would be palatable at the very least. Frankly, my expectations were not that high, and I wasn’t disappointed. Although the film has a definite target audience, it is still refreshing to watch a movie that centres on the love lives of the older generation, a rarity in mainstream film.

4 / 5 stars