Blu-ray Review – Falling in Love

1984’s “Falling in Love” is an attempt to soften two actors known for their incredible intensity. There’s Meryl Streep, coming off an Academy Award win for her emotionally devastating performance in “Sophie’s Choice,” chasing such power with the chilling atmosphere of “Silkwood,” bringing life to an uneasy subject matter. There’s Robert De Niro, whose furrowed brow approach to acting turned him into an icon, also collecting an Oscar for his memorable turn in “Raging Bull,” maintaining that edge for follow-up projects such as “The King of Comedy” and “Once Upon a Time in America.” These are not two performers known for projecting warmth, but they each hold a different interpretation of intimacy, giving director Ulu Grosbard (“Straight Time,” “True Confessions,” “Georgia”) something to work with in “Falling in Love,” which represents a career change for both performers, asked to go soft and emotional for this study of infidelity and need. Screenwriter Michael Cristofer (“The Witches of Eastwick,” “The Bonfire of the Vanities”) sets up a tender dance of internalized feelings for the personalities, skipping a lot of plot to remain close to the characters, allowing Streep and De Niro a chance to find their way across alien terrain, and this exploratory aspect of the picture helps to strengthen the viewing experience. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com