Sienna Miller has always been an actress on the cusp of greatness. Early in her career, the British thespian was more known for her celebrity gossip headlines than for her talent. Thankfully, she stuck it out and, in the process, has honed her craft in such a manner, Miller should be on the list of the best performers of her generation. Further proof of that fact is her stunning and tragic turn in director Jake Scott’s American Woman.
Miller is Debra, a woman who has lived life on the wild side, with aplomb to boot. Pregnant at 16, despite pleas from her “boyfriend” (they had only been on a few dates) to end the pregnancy, she delivered her darling little one, Bridget (Sky Ferreira). With the help of her sister Katherine (Christina Hendricks), her husband Terry (Will Sasso), and her mother Peggy (Amy Madigan), they have raised a beloved girl who herself got pregnant young. and delivered a healthy little boy whose father, like Bridget’s, has been enormously absent from their lives.
Scott’s film commences with Debra getting dolled up for a date with the help of Bridget. Immediately one senses the emotional closeness of the mother-daughter duo and its achieved efficiently in merely a few cinematic minutes. We learn two things in that opening scene. First, who exactly Debra is and what she’s all about and two, the daughter is revealed to be caring, considerate and above all else, a good mother to her little boy and a dotting daughter to her mother.
Soon after, Bridget goes on a “date” with her baby daddy—despite the feelings that basically her entire family has bout the guy! She doesn’t come home. Days pass. Every parent’s nightmare plays out on the silver screen. One immediately sees the alteration that the horrorific event has on Debra and in the hands of Miller, the character arc and her life journey is beyond brilliant and done so in a manner that feels about as real as any decade-plus spanning story can achieve.
American Woman is not simply an emotionally riveting journey through how a parent confronts the second guessing and horrific mental gymnastics that one would go through if a child just never returned. The film’s moniker could not be more apt. This is about a woman and the entirety that is her existence. We meet her as a 36-year-old single mother (and grandmother), who lives in a house across the street from her sister—all while her mother lingers over their collective lives. By the time we have to say goodbye to Debra, there is an overwhelming sense that we know this lady to her core and are, frankly, supremely inspired by her mettle and moving familial empowerment.
The themes of the film resonate for all. There are countless things to grasp on to for the viewer, depending on where one is in their life. Due to the rich scope that Scott sends out into the world (from Brad Ingelsby’s script), a myriad of moments run the gamut, producing everything from blinding joy to being desperately depressed, and every single emotive descriptor in between.
Complimenting that is a standout cast whose presence, strong or passive, is always masterfully intertwined with this speeding train that is Debra. Leading that charge is Hendricks, who turns in the best performance of her career. She is simultaneously a soul who will go to the ends of the earth for her sister. Sure, she may be frustrated with her choices—and firmly lets her know—yet regardless of the moment’s outcome, Katherine is all about continually enriching that sibling bond, one that has been building for decades. The Mad Men actress has made some terrific choices since that iconic show called it a day. Just this year, she dazzled in intimate comedy Egg, the terrific television show The Romanoffs andwill be enchanting us all when she makes her Pixar debut in Toy Story 4 as Gabby Gabby.
What is so fantastic about the actress’ characterization is that Katherine has so many balls in the air in her life. As portrayed by Hendricks, she has them all right where she wants them, save one—her sister. Yet, over the course of the story, we get a revealing window into how Katherine fluctuates from trying to help her, fix her and yes, even cheer her on. She’s also a mother and her mother’s turn-to when something ails her or challenges. Then, there’s her marriage. It’s a good one, it’s just that this rural wife must make all her husband (and family’s) food, do all their laundry, clean their house … you get the picture. Hendricks deserves serious Oscar buzz for this role. Here’s hoping the Academy will recall her titanic turn when it is voting time.
Surprisingly endearing and passionately protective of his clan, Katherine’s hubby Terry (Will Sasso) will make you want to give the big guy a hug. The actor, who is probably best known for his role as Curly in 2012’s The Three Stooges goes deep and here’s hoping that the performance will put his name in the hat for casting agents. He needs to work more. Madigan too is fantastic. She is someone who we have marveled at her talent for decades. She too needs to work more because what she turns in American Woman is impeccable.
Miller has palpable chemistry with every single person in this cast, heck even the extras. More fascinating is how many souls orbit her world over the course of the 15-or-so years portrayed in her movie. There are characters that anchor a film, think Jack Nicholson’s Jack Torrance in 1980’s The Shining, Russell Crowe’s Maximus in Gladiator or Julia Roberts is just about everything. Then, there is what is achieved by Miller in American Woman. It is a deeply personal, bare bones and raw character she has crafted. As time progresses through the story, Debra comes to some startling and profound revelations—all ones to which every single one of us can relate.
Scott has woven a web that draws you in, right from the start and it’s a journey that pulls on the soul in some deeply difficult ways. Yet there is something in how the director and his ensemble have delivered Ingelsby’s tale produces some seriously strong affirmation as those credits start rolling.
Grade: A