Watch Postcards from the Edge For Free

One of my all time favorites.

i must have seen a different film!!

At first rather annoying in its heavy emphasis on reenactments, this movie ultimately proves fascinating, simply because the complicated, highly dramatic tale it tells still almost defies belief.

The joyful confection is coated in a sparkly gloss, bright enough to gleam from the darkest, most cynical corners.

Postcards from the edge really was destined for greatness just by hearing who heads up the cast. I mean come on, Shirley MacLaine and Meryl Streep! Two of my favorite actress starring in a powerful well written film. The two legendary artists turn in fine performances. They have great chemistry and deliver the dialogue very well. The two have very strong words for one another throughout the entire movie, the script is full of heated exchanges between the mother and daughter. They have an extremely fractured/strained relationship and that relationship is what the movie focuses on. There are some comedic moments and pieces of dialogue, so it's not all heavy and dramatic, but much of it is pretty heavy because there is a lot of junk in the past between the two that they try to work through and deal with. Honestly this movie relies on two things to make it work, without these things the film would fail miserably. The script and the actors performances. And since those aspects of the movie are spot on, this one is a big win. If you're looking for a family drama with some heavy issues and also some well done comedic material, then I'd definitely suggest postcards from the edge! 9/10.

Postcards from the Edge (1990)Mike Nichols is as close to a William Wyler as the New Hollywood (post-1967) gives us. His movies are both impeccable and emotionally taut. They feature the very best production values and impressive acting. And they take chances carefully, which isn't actually an oxymoron. Nichols knows he's pushing boundaries, but within the established forms. Even this movie, with its insider look at Hollywood, feels ingenious in a safe way, with echoes of "The Bad and the Beautiful" but with everyone toned down to a perfect realism.One of the tricks of this movie, which is a little over the top in so many small ways (again, careful restraint all around), is keeping the acting believable. And foremost is Meryl Streep, lovable and sympathetic but not quite admirable or otherworldly the way older generation actresses so often get portrayed. Streep as a drug-troubled actress is a wonder, and right behind, with deliberate hamminess, is the woman playing her mother, Shirley MacLaine. Add Gene Hackman and Richard Dreyfuss in smaller roles, a cameo by Rob Reiner, and a pretty boy role for Dennis Quaid, and you can see there is something cooking here. So why isn't this a great movie? It has the trimmings of greatness, even beyond the acting. Story by Carrie Fisher, music written by Carly Simon (and performed by the cast). Photography by German import Michael Ballhaus (who by the 1990s was also working for Coppola and Scorcese). Well, some might say it really is great. Even though it is lightweight, even airy as a farce, and even though it leaves you only slightly glad, or happy, at the end rather than transformed, you could argue that Nichols intended something with this flavor, and achieved it. Could be. But for a simple example, take his second movie, "The Graduate," and notice the same tone, humor and irony laced with important topical and emotional strains. How different the effect there, and maybe for a couple of reasons. One, I think, is the subject matter here is the famously glib, plastic, unsympathetic world of overly rich, tabloid saturated Hollywood itself. Another is the inherent plot. What happens? A woman overcomes her addiction to star in another movie, and she seems to move a little forward in her relationship with her mother. Enough? Maybe not.But knowing it's not trying to change the world, you might appreciate the illusory nature of the medium, exposed for us in a whole bunch of different ways (moving props, back projection, doubles used for blocking and framing, lights and camera in action, screening rooms and overdubbing, and so on. This is the stuff behind the drama enacted by Streep and MacLaine and the rest. It's worth watching in its own right.And Nichols and Ballhaus have filmed this to glossy perfection, layering and moving and keeping the long takes going as long as possible (with an apology by Hackman, as a movie director, to Streep, the actress playing the actress, for using such long takes all the time). It's almost as if Nichols is making fun of himself, and the excesses that cause the cast and crew to go a little crazy.Brilliant and entertaining? Completely. Probing or socially satirical in any way? No, not even into Hollywood, which is safely behind all these layers. Still, a film not to miss.

Postcards From The Edge is directed by Mike Nichols,has a screenplay by Carrie Fisher based on her book and stars Meryl Streep, Shirley MacLaine, Gene Hackman, Dennis Quaid and Mary Wicke's.The film is based Carrie Fisher's life and her relationship with her mother Debbie Reynolds.It's a good mix of comedy and sadness with powerful performances especially from Meryl as the insecure actress.Suzanne Vale(Meryl Streep)is one of Hollywoods biggest stars and is on top of the world,there is a snag though she has a drug problem.After taking an overdose her boyfriend Jack Faulkner(Dennis Quaid)rushes her to hospital where her stomach is pumped by Dr Frankenthal(Richard Dreyfuss)who might just be the man she is meant to be in love with.She goes through rehab and gets clean,the root of her addiction lies with her overbearing and demanding mother Doris Mann(Shirley MacLaine).Doris has made her life hell and although she loves her she just can't stop picking at her and driving her further away.The film revolves around Suzanne's struggle to stay off drugs and try and get into a better place emotionally.Her only true friend in all of this is her favourite director Lowell Kolcheck(Gene Hackman)although a bit severe at times he teaches her to be stronger and stand up to her mother and is there when she needs a shoulder to cry on.Deeply moving and featuring some superb performances, Postcards From The Edge is a wonderful film.Meryl also gets to prove her singing skills here and they are very good.

Postcards From the Edge could have been a great character piece, considering its credentials. However, Mike Nichols went through a period of struggle with his work during the 1980s. His films lacked decent pace and proportionate screen time for all of its characters and subject matter and thus lacked focus. Postcards has this problem. It ends before you know it, it wraps up like it's tired and wants to go to bed, and the conflict has a short burst of presence till it completely diffuses.However, this film has an incredibly high point of enjoyment to level it off. This would be the appearance of a young and beautiful Meryl Streep in a snug police suit. Her curves, her maternal hips, her thighs, her overall thin yet plush softness radiates sensuality.As for her performance, she is of course very enthralling in her depiction of Carrie Fisher's depiction of Carrie Fisher. It's always fascinating to see how comfortable she is with repressing herself just enough to ooze those indescribable facial and tonal expressions that are trademark Meryl.