Streep. Bergen. Wiest.
Three incredible and talented actresses take on the small screen — or seas — in Steven Soderbergh’s Let Them All Talk, available to stream on HBO Max.
The film follows a famous novelist, Alice (Meryl Streep), and her two friends (Candice Bergen and Dianne Wiest) as they reunite after 30 year to embark on an ocean liner to England. While Alice aims to restore their friendship, her nephew (Lucas Hedges) comes along and falls for her new literary agent (Gemma Chan).
Let Them Talk is an appropriate title, because man oh man, did they TALK. No literally. The cast was improvising from a Deborah Eisenberg short story. An experiment only Soderbergh could successfully pull off.
But, let’s be honest, we could probably watch Streep, Bergen and Wiest talk for ages if given the chance.
With a luxurious setting, a breezy score, and unrelenting charm, Let Them Talk is an easy and entertaining watch. It certainly isn’t Soderbergh’s most impressive film, but the narrative unfolds like a fascinating stage play.
And a lot of that is credited to this prestigious cast.
Streep captivates as the pretentious yet vulnerable Alice, while Bergen impresses with peak comedy and drama. Wiest is always enjoyable to watch on screen, especially when she exclaims, “bow down bitches” while playing scrabble.
Ultimately, this dramedy works because of its cast and direction. The story itself is interesting, however, the ending didn’t exactly work for me.
Nonetheless, in such a crappy year, it’s nice to see acting greats do what they do best.
Final Thoughts: If you love words, solid acting and cruise ships, then Let Them All Talk is for you.
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