THE BRIDGES OF MADISON COUNTY (1995) - ♦♦♦♦

Directed by - Clint Eastwood

Written by - Richard LaGravenese (based on a novel by Robert James Waller)

Starring - Clint Eastwood, Meryl Streep

"After sending her family off to the state fair, a devoted and loving Italian housewife from Madison County is swept off her feet by her encounter with a rugged and charming photographer. The romance that flourishes between the two is so strong that she starts to ponder upon leaving her family to follow her handsome and adventurous stranger.

No prizes for guessing how the story of THE BRIDGES OF MADISON COUNTY ends, nor how it will get there. But the film is very successful, despite being based on a famously novel mushy, because instead of overdoing its emotions, it represents them in a mature and observant way. 

EASTWOOD hence takes advantage of a great screenplay by RICHARD LAGRAVENESE, by leaving plenty of room for lengthy conversations, but also by treasuring the silences that highlight the inner dilemma of Francesca, played superbly by MERYL STREEP. This does not mean, however, that the film has no time to indulge in the spirit of shameless romanticism, as JACK N. GREEN's camerawork is just as able to trail the solemnity of the ponderous silences as it is in taking advantage of the picturesque setting of Madison County, in a triumphant showcase of an etheral love story that can escalate into sensual and even steamy territory. 

As an added bonus, THE BRIDGES OF MADISON COUNTY is framed by slight darkness. The story is, in fact, told as it is being read in Francesca's journal by her son and daughter, and this discovery of their mother's secret in turn leads to an uncomfortable awakening that can be seen as a film within a film."

Drama, USA