Socialite at the heart of political thriller
Sassy and strident, Julia Roberts’ Margaret Mitchell is a compelling presence whenever she is on screen, writes James Croot.
Erin Brockovich
(itunes, Google Play, Youtube) Roberts deservedly won the Oscar for Best Actress for her performance as the unemployed single mother who becomes a legal assistant and almost single-handedly brings down a California power company accused of polluting a city’s water supply, Roberts brings chutzpah and a wily charm that can’t help but bring a smile to
your face.
My Best Friend’s Wedding
(Netflix) Roberts is Julianne Potter, a New York food critic who discovers that she has deep feelings for her old friend Michael (Dermot Mulroney), just days before he’s about to be married to someone else. Cameron Diaz and Rupert Everett also feature.
The Normal Heart
(2014, Neon)
Roberts is part of the impressive ensemble (Mark Ruffalo, Taylor Kitsch, Jim Parsons, Alfred Molina, Jonathan Groff) assembled for this early 1980s-set drama about a New York writer who attempts to attract the attention of the US government and the gay community towards the growing Aids crisis. She was nominated for an Emmy for her performance as Big Apple physician Dr Emma Brookner.
Pretty Woman
(1990, Disney+)
The movie that truly made Roberts a star. In this romantic-comedy, Richard Gere plays a wealthy man who hires an escort – Roberts – only to fall in love with her. Audiences around the globe followed suit. It also features a memorable soundtrack that includes Go West, Roy Orbison’s classic title track and THAT worldwide No 1 from Roxette.
Wonder
(2017,
Prime Video) A heartwarming tale about a boy, born with Treacher Collins syndrome, who becomes a source of inspiration to his classmates and family. Roberts plays Auggie Pullman’s (Jacob Tremblay) mother Isabel with the requisite compassion and concern, but also a light touch.
Sean Penn might be virtually unrecognisable, but it’s Julia Roberts who deserves all the plaudits for her performance in Gaslit (streaming on Prime
Video on Friday).
She plays the real-life Margaret Mitchell, a celebrity socialite who also just happened to be the wife of President Richard Nixon’s loyal Attorney General John N Mitchell (Penn).
As Mr Robot creator Robbie Pickering’s early 1970s-set eight-part political thriller (inspired by the first season of the Slate podcast Slow Burn) opens, opinion within the Republican party is divided as to her true worth.
Some see her as the secret weapon that will ensure the president’s re-election, others believe ‘‘the mouth of the south’’ will be his demise.
Her name recognition, easy relationship with the press and outspoken views – on the Vietnam War in particular – are certainly causing her husband – and the overall administration – plenty of headaches.
‘‘I will say how I feel,’’ she says, defying John’s ban on solo appearances or interviews.
‘‘If that gets me banned from Air Force One, then I’ll fly commercial.’’
‘‘All those journalists, they’re not your friends,’’ John retorts. ‘‘They just can’t take their eyes off a good show.’’
Then there’s her ongoing stoush with the First Lady, Pat Nixon. A belated calendar clash of competing fundraising events is seen as a deliberate manipulation in Margaret’s eyes.
‘‘Bay of Pigs was a misunderstanding, this was an encroachment,’’ she seethes.
It’s against this backdrop that those around Nixon campaign began to step up their defeat-the-democratsby-any-means-necessary operations, schemes that would result in one of America’s biggest-ever political scandals and a decidedly difficult time for Margaret Mitchell.
Like the early seasons of Homeland or Billions, Pickering sets his scene brilliantly, filling his impressively assembled ensemble with fabulous character actors, like Dan Stevens (Downton Abbey), Betty Gilpin (Nurse Jackie) and Boardwalk Empire’s Shea Whigham.
The production design and costuming is top notch, and the prosthetics on Penn (which took three-and-a-half hours for him to put on each day) are truly something.
At its heart though is Roberts. Sassy, strident in her opinions and second to no-one, her Margaret is a compelling presence whenever she is on screen. While she missed out on an Emmy nomination, don’t be surprised to see her in among the nominees at the upcoming Golden Globes.
Julia Roberts’ Margaret is a compelling presence whenever she is on screen.
Gaslit begins screening on Prime Video on Friday.