Silkwood

 Silkwood 1983

• Director: Mike Nichols
• Seen by this director: Angels in America, Wit, Primary Colors, The Birdcage, Wolf, Postcards from the Edge, Working Girl, Catch 22, The Graduate, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
• Based on the book: no.
• Cast: Meryl Streep, Cher, Ken Russell, David Strathairn
• Personal “oh yeah him/her” reaction, i.e. have seen this actor in

• Meryl Streep – Mamma Mia Here We Go Again, August Osage County, Into the Woods, Mamma Mia, A Prairie Home Companion, Angels in America, The Hours, Music of the Heart, Marvin’s Room, The Bridges of Madison County, The House of the Spirits, Defending Your Life, Postcards from the Edge, Ironweed, Out of Africa, Sophie’s Choice, The French Lieutenant’s Woman, Kramer vs Kramer, Deer Hunter, Holocaust, Julia
• Cher – Mamma Mia Here We Go Again, Mermaids, Moonstruck, Suspect, The Witches of Eastwick, Mask
• Ken Russell – The Hateful Eight, Once upon a Time in Hollywood, Overboard, various series from the 60’s
• David Strathairn – Hotel Marigold 2, The Tempest, Good Night and Good Luck, The Sopranos, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, A League of Their Own, Stars and Bars, Matewan
• Why? Good film
• Seen: Once before. Now 5 November 2021      

       Karen Silkwood (Streep), Drew (Russell) and Dolly (Cher) all work in an Oklahoma factory making plutonium and uranium pellets and fuel rods for nuclear power plants. It’s absolutely safe.

       Yeah, right.

       Karen has a messed-up life with three kids living with their father, a big mouth, unfriendly workmates and complicated relationships with Drew and Dolly.

       There’s a contamination and Karen is exposed to radiation. She gets involved with the union and reveals to them that the company is making illegal shortcuts that put millions of lives at risk.

       It was an important film when it came out. It still is. Streep is outstanding. 

4 * of 5