Sophie's Choice Reviews

I already saw this movie but, since it was a while back, I thought I might as well check it out again. Well, I'm glad I gave this movie another look because I was much more able to enjoy it this time around. Indeed, the first time I watched it, like everybody else, I was blown away by Meryl Streep who was indeed really terrific and if only for her performance, you should definitely check this movie. However, at the time, I completely misunderstood Kevin Kline's performance and character and I thought he was rather annoying and, honestly, not really convincing. I don't know, I thought he was way too hysterical and he got on my nerves pretty bad. But now, after rewatching the damned thing, I finally understood how this couple was working and how fascinating they were together, obviously for Stingo but also for the audience. Indeed, they were basically two broken souls who lived a life full of fantasies, real hardship and erotic passion. Sure, they were both lying all the time, to each other, to their other acquaintances and even to themselves but it was their only way to cope, for Nathan, with his mental disoster and, for Sophie, with her dreadful traumatic past. Even though Stingo didn't see it coming, it seemed obvious that they couldn't last forever like this but, at least, they managed to survive for a while together and they even had a good time in spite their circumstances. Well, basically, when I first watched it, I didn't get all this at all and I was wondering where the story was going during the whole thing until the shattering ending. Indeed, the way they ended it was completely heartbreaking but also very powerful. Anyway, to conclude, I finally understand now why it is such a classic and it is definitely worth a look, especially if you like the genre.

This film went beyond my expectations. Sophie's Choice is an inspiring, beautiful yet tragic story that has become a memorable film. It is quite gut retching because this film brought back the horror of the Holocaust. Regarding the Holocaust, it wasn't so much about death but about slavery in the Holocaust and about self-emotional torture. It is a story that can make people stand tall and stand against those people who tell them different. It is a film about making decision because as you watch it, you will find that you have to make your own decisions in life sooner or later in which Sophie does in this film. I was really impressed with the flashbacks and how well they were filmed. The cinematography on those scenes were absolutely incredible.


Meryl Streep delivers in my opinion one of the best leading female performances of all time. Meryl's Polish accent was absolutely fantastic for an American. I must say that when she was younger in the 70s and 80s she was gorgeous! She has always been an actress who always brings tears to her own eyes when playing a character as well as the audiences. Her performance in Kramer Vs. Kramer is still really hard to beat in my opinion but her performance in Sophie's Choice comes close. Meryl Streep is probably the only actress who can portray any kind of character and she once again proved that. This was the acting debut of Kevin Kline. Kline portrayed a character that in my opinion has a slight split personality because one minute he's sweet and the next he is abusive and a bit of a bully. Peter MacNicol sort of drove me a bit crazy as Stingo because he made him seem like a complete idiot and the way Peter was portraying Stingo in the scenes with Sophie made him look like a lost puppy who needs an owner so to speak. His performance was in my opinion rather disappointing. Kline and Streep were amazing obviously but wasn't keen on MacNicol at all.


The directing was very powerful and very gut retching just like the whole film is in general. To be honest, I think that Sophie's Choice would have been a good film by Roman Polanski or Clint Eastwood because they have both done very dark stories and true story ones too apart from that Sophie's Choice was a novel. Pakula did a pretty job which actually did surprise me. It is a very original direction based on that theme of film. I am always so fascinated by how scripts from adapted sources such as novels, plays, other films etc are made into a film because most of the time they end up great successful ones. For example, Lord Of The Rings surprised me and so did The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button. Sophie's Choice is in my opinion one of the most life experiencing films of all time.


It is also one of the most underrated Meryl Streep performances even though it did win her a second Oscar out of 15 nominations she's ever had. Her best film is still Kramer Vs. Kramer but Sophie's Choice is her best performance in a leading role though. Kevin Kline's performance was really good obviously but his performances will never ever beat his hilarious performance in A Fish Called Wanda. Sophie's Choice is a film that is beautiful as well as heartbreaking and has a brief meaning upon life. It is an absolutely incredible story that lives the horror of the 1900s that was the Holocaust.