by Shane Conto
Is there a director out there that has a cooler style than Steven Soderbergh? If you need any evidence of such a claim, look no further than Ocean’s Eleven. The music, the cinematography, and the atmosphere come together to produce a slick and engrossing experience. You know you are watching a Soderbergh film with the bright lights and yellow-orange tint to the cinematography (which is also done by Soderbergh). The films move along with a snappy and smooth pace thanks to expert editing (also done by Soderbergh, surprised?). Soderbergh has made a career of challenging himself with different types of films (he made Magic Mike after all) and different technology (who shoots feature films on an iPhone?). The most intriguing aspect of his career that is certainly relevant to his latest effort, Let Them All Talk, is embracing different media to distribute his films. Soderbergh has worked for HBO and last year delivered two Netflix originals.
But now you are able to check out his latest film on HBO Max…but is it worth the stream?
Soderbergh delivers all of his signature style and smooth editing to his new feature. The film is well paced and engaging. The film is beautiful to watch and makes you want to board a cruise liner with Streep and her friends. One of the most impressive aspects of the film is the cooler than cool score from Thomas Newman. The music makes every frame pop with a vibe that just makes you feel absorbed into the world the Soderbergh is creating. Most of what has already been discussed can be said about any of Soderbergh’s films. What about this story that Let Them All Talk tells?
At first glance, this film is one of Soderbergh’s most straightforward and low-key efforts as he brings the screenplay of actress Deborah Eisenberg to life.
A famous author named Alice needs to make her way to an awards ceremony across the pond but insists on taking a ship instead of flying. What else does she request? She would like to have her two college friends and her nephew join her. But a representation for her publisher tags along too. But why? There might be a mystery on board the ship as well. What is Alice writing about next? This is not an earth-shattering mystery…but it turns out to be much more personal than you might first suspect.
Subtly. This is one word that describes what makes this pretty simple story of reconnecting friends into so much more. This film could be an enjoyable romp with just the story of Alice reconnecting with her friends as well as her nephew falling for this publisher representative. By the end of the film, you are treated to a much more complex and layered experience than you thought you just experienced.
If the style of Soderbergh isn’t enough to bring Eisenberg’s script to life, this talented cast certainly will.
Meryl Streep is Meryl Streep. This is not her most complex role, but she delivers a charismatic lead for the film. It is nice to see Dianne Wiest in a film in 2020 and she has some fun exchanges as she is the “friend-in-the-middle” role. Wiest gets to inhabit this role because Candice Bergen’s Roberta has some real tension with Streep’s Alice. This tension lies underneath for most of the film and Bergen delivers some impressive stares that work so well to display that tension. Lucas Hedges is charismatic and relatable in the role of Alice’s nephew who turns out to be a solid heart to the film. But there is one particular scene that is a key emotional core of the film and it feels like Hedges undersells it. Hedges also has great chemistry with Gemma Chan who is a fantastic addition to the cast.
Will Let Them All Talk go down as one of Soderbergh’s top films?
Not quite, but it certainly is a quality cinematic experience with all of the Soderbergh trappings. HBO Max made a good decision to bring a talent like Soderbergh into the fold for their original content. Will we get more quality cinema from this partnership? Time will tell.
Grade: B