The only gripe I have with this brilliant film is the Australian-DVD-release cover. Being born in 1979 and not knowing much about Karen Silkwood, it was disappointing to read the ENTIRE plot of the film, including the ending, on the back of the DVD. I had seen this movie years and years earlier, and I didn't remember the ending. It's enough to say it's the Karen Silkwood story, and then let the film speak for itself, because it speaks volumes.
This, I think, is one of those "quiet" films that have sort of disappeared from view nowadays, except for die-hard Meryl Streep fans I suppose. All I remember from seeing Silkwood as a child was being extremely disturbed by the "decontamination shower" scenes in which people are scrubbed down with hard brushes that cause welts on the skin, and they are blasted with either extremely hot or extremely cold water (its not made clear which, but either would be unpleasant i imagine). That this method of decon is not even effective, makes these scenes even more distressing to watch.
The film is quiet, dialogue driven, but that's not to say it's brilliant...in fact, it is very slow, and today's audiences would flick channels in no time. It's uncomfortable (c'mon, it's radiation poisoning we're dealing with here...it's frightening stuff we'd all rather not think about), and in a nutshell, it's depressing. But Meryl Streep is just so likable as Karen Silkwood. You can't help but cheer for her and her courage in the face of an big corporation that practically OWNED the entire county. And Kurt Russell gives an understated and very effective performance as the redneck with a good heart. He's great in one scene (spoiler) after Karen (and an older lady employee named Thelma) have been "contaminated" and Karen asks him if its changed how he feels about her. I was expecting some cheesy romantic line here, but instead he goes, "Well, I still want to f*ck you...I sure as h*ll don't wanna f*ck Thelma anymore though!"
Another standout for me was the very end (another spoiler) the accappella "Amazing Grace" rendition. No sound, no dialogue, just a final shot of Karen Silkwood and a fade out as the song ends. It's a great ending in cinema I think. Understated, quiet and powerful, just like the film itself.
This, I think, is one of those "quiet" films that have sort of disappeared from view nowadays, except for die-hard Meryl Streep fans I suppose. All I remember from seeing Silkwood as a child was being extremely disturbed by the "decontamination shower" scenes in which people are scrubbed down with hard brushes that cause welts on the skin, and they are blasted with either extremely hot or extremely cold water (its not made clear which, but either would be unpleasant i imagine). That this method of decon is not even effective, makes these scenes even more distressing to watch.
The film is quiet, dialogue driven, but that's not to say it's brilliant...in fact, it is very slow, and today's audiences would flick channels in no time. It's uncomfortable (c'mon, it's radiation poisoning we're dealing with here...it's frightening stuff we'd all rather not think about), and in a nutshell, it's depressing. But Meryl Streep is just so likable as Karen Silkwood. You can't help but cheer for her and her courage in the face of an big corporation that practically OWNED the entire county. And Kurt Russell gives an understated and very effective performance as the redneck with a good heart. He's great in one scene (spoiler) after Karen (and an older lady employee named Thelma) have been "contaminated" and Karen asks him if its changed how he feels about her. I was expecting some cheesy romantic line here, but instead he goes, "Well, I still want to f*ck you...I sure as h*ll don't wanna f*ck Thelma anymore though!"
Another standout for me was the very end (another spoiler) the accappella "Amazing Grace" rendition. No sound, no dialogue, just a final shot of Karen Silkwood and a fade out as the song ends. It's a great ending in cinema I think. Understated, quiet and powerful, just like the film itself.