Everything about the general details of “Ricki and the Flash” is like a giant flashing “YES” sign to me: Jonathan Demme directing Meryl Streep as a rock star going back to her roots, from an original screenplay by Diablo Cody. I've been quietly sort of stoked for this film all year. And now we get a taste thanks to the first trailer.
Streep's character, it turns out, is loosely based on Cody's own mother-in-law, Terry, who is part of a Jersey Shore rock band herself. The Oscar-winning “Juno” screenwriter said in a recent interview that Terry is “a grandmother of six and she”s still up there rocking out every weekend, walking on the bar, just electrifying the audience…Rock 'n” roll is her life. I think there've been people in her life who've thought it was kind of a silly thing for a mom or grandmother to do and she doesn't give a damn. I love that about her.”
That giant “YES” sign is still flashing.
Seriously, though, this is the kind of role I'm eager to see Streep in these days. She is, of course, one of the greatest to ever grace the screen, so she can make even the rote seem fresh. But this is just a vibrant new character for her to inhabit and I'm very interested to see what she does with it.
Check out the poster for the film below and the new trailer embedded at the top of this post. Tell us what you think!
“Ricki and the Flash” hits theaters August 7.