RICKI AND THE FLASH   3.0***

       She was Julia Child. She was Margaret Thatcher. She was Mamma Mia. And now Meryl Streep is Ricki Rendazzo,an aging, nearly bankrupt rock singer living uneasily with a big  choice she made along the way—career over family. Her band, The Flash, plays at the modest Salt Well bar in Tarzana, California, but they rock it. We already knew Streep could sing, and for this film she spent six months learning how to play guitar. Ricki's lead guitarist and boyfriend Greg is played by Rick Springfield. Back home in Indiana, her ex-husband Pete (Kevin Kline) is dealing with their adult daughter Julie, abandoned by her two-timing husband, and she is now depressed, and suicidal. He calls Linda—Ricki is her stage name—to let her know, and she scrapes together enough money to fly back to see what she can do. Precious little, it appears—a classic case of too little, many years too late. Mother and daughter struggle to reconnect, and it isn't easy or even certain. Julie is played beautifully by Streep's real-life daughter, Mamie Gummer.  There are some excruciatingly wonderful scenes, including a fancy-restaurant "family dinner" with all three of Ricki's kids ( 2 sons and the daughter), where accusations are the main course  The pain and even humor of the situation are so sharp, you know no matter who gets the check, theyall have already paid.           

. Director Jonathan Demme keeps the film moving with no unnecessary drag and made the great choice of putting lifelong musicians in the band. They, including Streep, performed all the movie's songs live and with no overdubs.. Academy Award-winner Diablo Cody wrote the script which has been criticized for being too predictable. It may in retrospect be predictable, but I didn't especially feel that while I was watching, and it was never boring. Director Demme was quite focused on the film's musical segments that highlighted Streep and the band. I really enjoyed the musical numbers even though this was at the expense of missed opportunities with the characters and their splintered relationships.( The list of the more than 30 songs played in part or in whole can be found by clicking the website below )

“Ricki and the Flash” is entertaining mostly due to its cast ( especially Strepp) and the music but the film rarely gives off any real sparks. It could have been better with a better screenplay..

Clark

http://www.what-song.com/Movies/Soundtrack/1817/Ricki-and-the-Flash