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What’s the Story?

Reviewed by Randy White

Unable to find a suitable partner, a wealthy Danish woman (Meryl Streep) packs her bags for Africa where she plans to marry her lover's brother, an aristocrat who is desperately in need of money. Scared and lonely in her new land, Karen Blixen discovers deep resources of courage that carry her through numerous perils, including an arduous trek across country and a life-threatening bout of syphilis -- contracted from her mostly absent husband. Karen also discovers a great love for Africa and for the cool, handsome explorer Denys Finch Hatton (Robert Redford). The two carry on a torrid love affair while she struggles to hold on single-handedly to her coffee farm. Karen loses the plantation in a fire and is set to leave her beloved Africa forever, when Denys is killed in a plane crash.

Is It Any Good?

5

Meryl Streep shines in this epic love story of two strong-minded and independent adventurers. The real star here, though, is Africa. The splendid scenery, music, and presence of Robert Redford go a long way to overcome a somewhat lackluster plot. The movie won an Oscar for Best Picture but requires a healthy attention span. OUT OF AFRICA is based on the autobiographical stories of Dutch writer Isak Denison and Meryl Streep proves again that she is not only the queen of accents, but capable of carrying an expansive story on her shoulders. Her character is a delight, challenging just about every patriarchal notion of what is appropriate behavior for a woman.

Robert Redford is equally impressive as her great-looking, freethinking love interest. The relationship between the two develops slowly and delicately, and Finch Hatton's death is terribly sad and genuinely moving. But the movie is not humorless. Both Streep and Redford prove adept at withering, deadpan delivery. The movie does sacrifice plot to appearance. The story has few of the thrilling sequences of classic epics. While the slow pace does become fairly hypnotic, kids may not give it the time or the energy it requires. They may get bored by the drawn-out nature sequences and the languid love story.

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