Oscar hype and August: Osage County

A typical dysfunctional family get-together, with Meryl Streep, Julia Roberts and Ewan McGregor

August: Osage County portrays a typical dysfunctional family get-together.

If family drama is something you are lacking this Christmas, August: Osage County is opening just for you.

After a mixed reception at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival, the film is being released with a revised ending and a darker edge. Based on Tracy Letts’s Pulitzer Prize–winning play, August: Osage County is a showcase for some of the finest actors working today. Meryl Streep, Julia Roberts, Chris Cooper, Benedict Cumberbatch, Ewan McGregor and Abigail Breslin comprise the cast that is gaining awards buzz; the film has already been nominated for several Golden Globes.

According to Julia Roberts, the experience of bringing the film to life was rewarding enough. As she proclaimed at the film’s star-studded premiere, “It was a dream. It really was! Loved it!”

August: Osage County opens in limited release on Dec 27. A wide release is planned for January.

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