Postcards from the Edge
1990
***
Director: Mike Nichols
Cast: Meryl Streep, Shirley MacLaine, Dennis Quaid, Gene Hackman, Richard Dreyfuss, Rob Reiner, Mary Wickes, Conrad Bain, Annette Bening, Simon Callow, Gary Morton, CCH Pounder, Robin Bartlett, Barbara Garrick, Anthony Heald, Dana Ivey, Oliver Platt, Michael Ontkean, Pepe Serna
The studio's demands force actress Suzanne Vale, a recovering drug addict, to move back in with her mother, Doris Mann, a legendary musical-comedy star. The mother-daughter relationship between Suzanne and Doris has been shaped by years of rivalry, resentment, dependence, and love. Mike Nichols' Hollywood comedy is based on Carrie Fisher's 1987 novel, which uses her relationship with her mother, Debbie Reynolds, as source material. The film is likeable but not terribly memorable. Like the characters they play, Meryl Streep and Shirley MacLaine attempt to outstage each other with their lovely performances.
