Eleven days into its release, Ricki and the Flash has earned about $15 million at the box office. With a budget of around $18 million, it's clear that it will go beyond that, but probably not by a ton. This is perhaps a bit disappointing considering some of Meryl's more recent summer releases, but these days Sony isn't exactly known for their marketing prowess. A "fresh" rating of 62% on Rotten Tomatoes can't be fully to blame for somewhat tepid returns, although Cinemascore has Ricki's performance listed as a "B."
Unrelated, a couple nights ago I came across something related to the PBS documentary Caring for Mom & Dad that Meryl narrated back in May. I had sort of forgotten about this to the point that I thought it hadn't even been released yet. The program is only about an hour long but very much worth watching. It's not so much that Meryl does a good job at voice-over, but more the attention it brings to the serious topic of the ever-ageing U.S. population. As a health-care provider, I was very taken by the stories of the families (a couple of which were near Minneapolis) struggling to scrape by caring for their parents in old age. It reinforced for me how imperative it will be for our country to continue developing a sustainable means of affordable healthcare (ssshhh, single-payer!) as well as the necessary changes employers will have to adopt in order to maintain a thriving business in 21st century America.
...a candid blog devoted to the incomparable American actress, Meryl Streep.
Thank you, Jeff, for this moving, sobering documentary. I hope more people will watch this. Whether we live in the US, the Philippines, Africa, or elsewhere, this is relevant. And this gives hope to all who struggle with caregiving for the ill, disabled, or aging members of our families and communities. The docu reminds me of three of Meryl’s films that touch on such end-of-life realities: “Marvin’s Room,” “One True Thing,” and “The Iron Lady.” She lends her voice, her soul, not only to such memorable movies but also to so many of these worthy sociopolitical causes. More power and blessings to her, to our families, and to health-care providers like you.
ReplyDelete-- Danny
Thanks for your insight, Danny. Couldn't agree with you more about some of Meryl's film choices. I enjoy so much that she is very thoughtful about what she puts out there.
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