Meryl Streep is synonymous with versatility and excellence in Hollywood, destined to dominate the screen. Just a year after her debut, she won a Primetime Emmy Award in 1978 for the NBC miniseries ‘Holocaust’ and received her first Oscar nomination for ‘The Deer Hunter’ in the same year, marking the beginning of her record 21 Oscar nominations.
Streep’s performances have continued to captivate audiences, such as her nearly perfect Polish accent in her Oscar-winning role in ‘Sophie’s Choice.’ With three Oscars to her name, she has excelled across genres, including a surprising foray into action. Among her eclectic roles, her performance in the 2005 rom-com ‘Prime’ stands out for its delightful chaos.
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Directed by Ben Younger, ‘Prime’ revolves around three main characters. Streep plays Lisa Metzger, a psychotherapist guiding a 37-year-old recently divorced woman, Rafi Gardet (Uma Thurman), through her romantic struggles.
Rafi, feeling liberated post-divorce, expresses a newfound desire to have children. Lisa encourages her to pursue happiness. When Rafi falls in love with 23-year-old painter David Bloomberg (Bryan Greenberg), she seeks Lisa’s advice on their age difference. Lisa supports her, saying, “Enjoy your life, you deserve this,” hinting at her own internal conflicts.
At home, Lisa’s son David confides in her about dating an older woman. Both David and Rafi lie about their partner’s age, but Lisa soon realizes that David is the mystery man in Rafi’s life. This revelation leads to chaotic and comedic clashes between her professional and personal worlds. ‘Prime’ humorously critiques societal hang-ups on love, addressing age gaps, racial divides, and religious roadblocks.
Streep’s Lisa is a complex character, exuding professional composure while harbouring personal insecurities. Her facial expressions and body language reveal a deep-seated longing and internal conflict, making her performance both mortifying and endearing. Lisa’s contradictory nature is evident as she gives Rafi advice she doesn’t follow herself, injecting humour and awkwardness into the narrative.
The film’s core drama intensifies when Lisa’s professional and personal lives collide. Her actions, driven by a mix of professional duty and personal bias, strain her relationships with Rafi and David. As Rafi discovers Lisa’s betrayal, the trust between them crumbles, highlighting Lisa’s selfishness and manipulative tendencies. This mirrors Streep’s role in ‘The Devil Wears Prada,’ where she plays a similarly egocentric character willing to go to great lengths to achieve her goals.
Lisa’s interference also affects her bond with David. Initially strong, their relationship deteriorates as Lisa tries to control his life choices, reminiscent of her controlling character in ‘The Manchurian Candidate.’ This dynamic creates tension and exposes Lisa’s need for control, ultimately causing David to feel burdened and torn between sides.
‘Prime’ offers social commentary on age, race, and religion through Lisa’s character. Her liberal views as a therapist clash with her personal biases when her own son is involved. The film questions societal hypocrisy, suggesting that personal stakes reveal underlying prejudices. It also touches on mental health, showing that even therapists like Lisa seek professional help, highlighting the universal nature of mental health struggles.
While ‘Prime’ didn’t achieve widespread recognition, it remains a distinctive part of Streep’s filmography, showcasing her ability to bring depth to chaotic and flawed characters. Despite its imperfections, the film’s social commentary and Streep’s performance make it a memorable rom-com worth revisiting.
– Farheen Ali