My opinion on the film... *spoilers*
I feel like...the romance between Sophie and Nathan was captivating. Meryl Streep and Kevin Kline are amazing actors, and were amazing. As usual.
The guy who played Stingo-- I am not a huge fan of that actor, and it pisses me off he has such a large role in this film, because he almost ruins it for me. I sort of thought the whole trio friendship was interesting and also pointless, but ruined because of who played him. Watching him act next to Meryl and Kevin was laughable at times. I just don't see how he got that role, and how people could think he did a good job in it. And from the way he acted, I don't see how either one of them would be interested in being such good friends with him. If they had casted someone else, who didn't seem borderline mentally challenged and had absolutely no personality and was a better actor it would have made for a more interesting dynamic. Theres no way Sophie ever would have been interested in him. I know she never was but when they slept together it didn't seem realistic other than she did that out of pity for him honestly. The whole "shy, young, southern writer" could be interesting, but just not by that actor. Every scene he was in I wanted to slap him. He was so irritating in so many ways. I know he was supposed to be shy and quiet but this actor literally seemed mentally challenged. And made his character more weak than he needed to be. Theres a difference between shy, not too cultured, young and introverted, to being completely weak, almos pathetic and seemingly slow---- but I didn't buy he could have possibly been a good writer BECAUSE of his awful portrayal of this character. It reminded me of Tobey Maguire playing the role of Nick Carraway in The Great Gatsby. He was the writer, who narrates after becoming friends with such interesting people. But Tobey Maguire's character was way more interesting, and he played the character so well. I was like ok the whole writer who witnessed this being more shy and introverted and captivated by a couple, and the three of them getting close, it doesn't have to be unrealistic or weird if someone plays the role better and is an interesting character. Introverted writers ARE interesting people if portrayed well. I also blame the writer of the film for making Stingo the way he is and the director--its not always just the actors fault.
So unfortunately, the whole Stingo thing kinda did ruin the film for me mostly because of who played him.
Other than HIM being in the film, the rest was really well done and interesting. I wish we got more flashbacks of her life...and maybe a little more from Nathan who was incredibly interesting, and acted perfectly by Kline than so much freaking crap about Stingo. Not too much about Nathan because the mystery did make him more interesting, but definitely more than we got and less of Stingo. Nathan's character was so interesting, and I wish they showed more of their romance, which was also interesting albiet tragic. The ending was kind of perfect----I totally understand why Sophie went back to him and why they both committed suicide. I wish so much she never slept with Stingo because that was so pointless and unrealistic. Maybe a kiss. But again, him being the actor playing him their sex scene was just like...yeah effing right. Like she would risk cheating on her crazy fiance who is currently thinking you're having an affair, with this little weirdo creeper who is so slow and boring and weak and not very handsome, and telling you he LOVES YOU and always has, when he hasn't even kissed or slept with you yet hes talking about marriage. That is just annoying and I liked how you could tell Sophie wasn't taking it seriously, but then to sleep with him right after--- don't buy it. And I think the biggest reason she did it was because she knew she wanted to die and Nathan did, and that was there only way of still being together because they both had such horrible issues they would be more miserable being alive so she did it out of pity for Stingo, and guilt. She already had so much guilt, I guess even feeling like someone was in love with her and she couldn't give him anything also made her feel guilty. But then sleeping with him made her feel guilty when she thought about Nathan. And her love for him was so strong and real I don't see her cheating on him even if the guy who played Stingo and Stingos character was more interesting. She had already made so many "mistakes" or failures as she saw them--- and just finished telling him her biggest regret---- I know they said she did this to escape the pain but I feel like she was a wise enough woman to know sleeping with him would make her feel worse and would never make her feel better even in that moment.
I am curious to know if this is a true story.
I think the choice she made was understandable. As a mother you cant bare the thought of your children dying. So in the heat of the moment, thinking she was going to a "working camp" When some a-hole is yelling in your face one kid lives the other will die, she thinks her older son, might have a chance at surviving a "working" camp. You can tell as soon as they take her daughter away she is like what the eff did I just do, and it was an impulse decision. She didn't feel she had time to make any kind of other decision like "Kill us all" even if that did pop in her head, NO MOTHER with maternal instinct is going to ever in that moment say okay kill both my children. If a mom hears any sign of hope that one child will live I can see why her last impulse decision was take the younger one, she even said "baby" because she was thinking in terms of who would survive this camp, who has lived longer etc. I have absolutely no idea what decision I would ever make if I was forced to make a choice like that. I am not a mother, but I know it would never be as simple as "Just kill us all." The nazi's were incredibly intimidating. They could get people to say things they would never probably even say. So that to me was realistic, and I don't look poorly on her for that decision, and it makes sense she never truly got over it.
The only thing I found inconsistent about Meryl's acting and Sophie's character, was in her first marriage, and in Germany, and even in the camps, she was confident and more independent. When she spoke in German she seemed like a whole different person. The Sophie with Nathan, seemed like an insecure, wide-eyed little girl who had never been through the holocaust at all. I understand being around a man who is handsome and charismatic can be nerve-wracking sometimes even when you've been together for awhile, you still feel that "wow" feeling, and might feel insecure or self conscious, but after everything she had been through as a woman/mother/previous wife and holocaust survivor it was strange to me that after so long of being with Nathan she still acted that way....she was like a whole different person. Even when she first met Nathan there was still that more confident person in her, then it seems as time went on Nathan turned her into a dreamy little girl who forgot who she was entirely. I don't see that as realistic after all she went through. Had she not been through all of that and the person she was before, yeah I can see Nathan making any woman act like that for awhile in their relationship. I am sure people have different opinions on this, which is fine but that's just how I saw it anyways. Two very different Sophies----and it didnt feel genuine. Even around Stingo she wasn't as confident seeming of a woman. I get why she would feel run down, less confident after all her "failures" but it wouldn't change your overall presence as much as it did hers....
Other than that, it was still a great film. I need to find out now if it was a true story because I am interested in all things about the holocaust. I didn't understand fully certain things like why she was arrested....so if anyone could clear that up I would appreciate it. Also if anyone can clear up what Nathan was saying the first time he thought she cheated---basically everything going on there was confusing to me---even if she actually did cheat because she got quiet and didn't even deny it. Which makes me think either she did do it, or just thought speaking at all while Nathan was like that was a mistake but it seems like not denying it would make him go even more crazy. But then he brought up "two chiropractors..." and some other stuff that wasn't audible to me or understandable but it was a huge deal because he moved all his *beep* out and they left the place for like what a month or something? I dunno.
Anyway, I love Meryl, she's incredible---and I wish I was Kevin Kline's wife.
Out.