Posterized: Director Stephen Frears
Friday, August 12, 2016 at 10:00AM by Nathaniel R
Streep & StephenThe "Posterized" series has fallen into a 'totally inconsistent director' zone. Last week we looked at Woody Allen's filmography, full of impossible peaks and embarrassing valleys and everything inbetween. The 75 year old British director Stephen Frears hasn't had peaks that are quite as dizzy from the genius altitude but his valleys aren't as cringeworthy as Allen's, either. He's a safe middle distance director that critics and audiences and Oscar can all love, albeit not stay married to. He's made 22 features over the course of his long career which began with 1971's Gumshoe after which he disappeared into epidodic British TV for a decade or so until his movie career really started to sizzle; My Beautiful Laundrette put him on the global map. But did he ever really top that breakthrough?
For all the ups and downs that followed, the consistency is his love for actresses: he famously directed Helen Mirren to her Oscar, and he's worked with Glenn Close, Judi Dench, and Michelle Pfeiffer twice each.
It's a busy summer for Frears. He's prepping a third feature with Judi Dench called Victoria and Abdul, he's added Meryl Streep to his grande dame arsenal via Florence Foster Jenkins, and he'll receive the Honorary Heart of Sarajevo Award at the 22nd Annual Sarajevo Film Festival which starts today.
All the Frears theatrical posters are after the jump. How many of his films have you seen?
His films have earned 40 BAFTA nominations and 25 Oscar nods and the numbers will likely go up given the handsome fun production of Florence Foster Jenkins.
How many have you seen and which is your favorite?
Reader Comments (36)
I absolutely loved THE QUEEN. I think it still holds up extremely well and it would have been my vote for Best Picture of that year.
I've seen 8 of his films. Trying to work out what makes a Stephen Frears film. He's a very efficient filmmaker but perhaps can give a good, concise description as to what his style is.
16. I'm already counting Florence because I'm totally watching that one.
Dangerous Liaisons
The Grifters
six. from worst to first:
6. mrs henderson presents
5. the queen
4. my beautiful laundrette
3. dangerous liaisons
2. prick up your ears
1. the grifters
9. He's made several very fine films, but The Grifters was just amazing and deserved every one of its Oscar nomination (and while I'm not a big fan of his, I'd have nominated Cusack as well). And I'd say Dirty Pretty Things is an under-appreciated gem.
Frears finally works with Streep and it's a featherweight comedy! She won't be competing with Close and Huston in the Stephen Frears greatest hits department.
Philomena is my favorite by far. The Grifters and Dangerous Liaisons would round out my top three. Have seen eight of his films, will see FFJ this weekend. Impressive filmography I'd say.
Oh Dangerous Liaisons. Still can't believe that Close lost the Oscar for this.
Adore The Grifters. Huston is life in that one.
Seconded Adam Lewis. The Queen is a great movie.
Say what you will, but I think Philomena is an underrated gem.
Totally watching FloFoJen cause MERYL!!!
I've seen more than I realized-15. He's variable but when he's on his game his films are fascinating.
Probably my favorite is Prick Up Your Ears but Dangerous Liaisons, The Queen, The Grifters and My Beautiful Launderette are very close runner-ups.
I liked but didn't love The Hit, Hero, High Fidelity, Dirty Pretty Things, Mrs. Henderson Presents, Cheri and Philomena.
His first Gumshoe is rough around the edges but showed great promise and starting off with Albert Finney as your lead isn't bad.
The only two I didn't like at all were The Hi-Lo Country and Tamara Drewe.
I'll have to make a point of seeking out the rest and I'm looking forward to FFJ
Mirren winning every single acting award in 2006/07 was a bore, but I agree The Queen holds-up well.
Oh, Turtle, you don't know anything. My favorites are The Grifters, The Queen, My Beautiful Launderette, and Dangerous Liaisons.
Every chance I get to tell the world (or at least The Film Experience readers), that Glenn Close lost IS the BIGGEST outrage (and we all know there are many) in Oscar's history!
The Grifters is his best by a landslide, but The Hit, Dangerous Liaisons, My Beautiful Laundrette are quite good.
I HATE his director-for-hire-for-actresses-prestige-vehicles phase. Casting female leads doesn't make any director a good one - not everyone is Almodóvar, Todd Haynes or George Cukor. The exception to this phase is Chéri, not The Queen.
Close losing for Fatal Attraction is the greater outrage. It showed what the Academy really thought of her. I prefer her performance in Dangerous Liaisons. But the whole Cher wants to be taken seriously as an actress and she's in a huge money maker let's give it to her shows these awards are less about the art and more about popularity and narrative. Nobody ever brings up Jodie Foster's obsessed fan being a factor in her narrative for The Accused. Nobody ever brings up her role was the most explicit. I believe the Academy always had their sights set on giving her an Oscar and it made logical sense to them then. In retrospect it was premature. The Silence of the Lambs should be her only Oscar.
Am I the only person who feels a reappraisal is due for Mary Reilly and Roberts and Close in it.
It was given a bad rap not cos it was BAD it had problems miscasting is avalid argument but was no worse than any other that year,great cinematography,dripping in Victorian atmosphere,eclectic supporting cast early Michael Sheen,a lush score,some gore but not a slasher but it was Roberts turn for the vultures to start attacking.
He has certainly got a gift with Actresses,if that can be a signature.
Frears is one of those directors with astonishing resources that elevate nearly anything into something wonderful. When he's on, there's no one better. The Grifters is a masterpiece and should have won Best Picture. I am embarrassed to say this, since Albert Finney is my favorite actor, but I've never seen Gumshoe. That needs to be corrected soon.
The Hit, Dangerous Liaisons, The Grifters
are masterpieces.
The rest of ém are pretty damn mediocre, I'm sorry to say.
I've seen six, and the one I liked least was Dangerous Liaisons, which I liked a lot and consider a better film than all of the other five. My favorites are The Grifters and My Beautiful Laundrette. Looking forward to FFJ.
I've seen 7 so far and the only one that was rather "dull" was Mrs. Henderson Presents..
(wasn't Dench's fault though-but an Oscar nom? But then it had Weinstein behind it *shrug*)
I have Philomena on my pile of (still) unwatched movies and of course I'll be there opening day for FFJ in Germany (IN NOVEMBER!!! >_>).
Mirren was great in The Queen but honestly the film should be titleled to The Queen and Mr.Blair. I was a bit dissapointed by the rewatch she was unly in about half of the movie's runtime. I'd like to see more of her scenes. I really understand her epic sweep, even though for me 2006 is all about Meryl in TDWP.
Plus I'd given Meryl a win in 1988, while Close should have won in 1987 and Cher should have won BSA in 1983. (tying with Linda Hunt!)
I have seen 9 of them... I love Dangerous Liaisons, My Beautiful Launderette, The Grifters... and I am sure I will add FFJ to the list.
Seven total:
1. high fidelity
2. the grifters
3. dangerous liaisons
4. dirty pretty things
5. philomena
6. the queen
7. mrs henderson presents
I've seen nine or ten. He's a solid craftsman, his films are always worth checking out.
I've seen 13 of them. Agree that his peaks and valleys aren't quite as high and low as many contemporaries (although Lay the Favourite is an unqualified turd).
I'd class My Beautiful Laundrette, Dangerous Liaisons and Dirty Pretty Things as the must sees. All incredible movies. More often than not I find Frears a little pedestrian, solid but with little flair.
I have seen several of the good ones, and had no idea that he directed some of these other movies. Thanks for the recommendations above.
Anthony Lane gave Florence Foster Jenkins a nice review in the New Yorker. Streep seems destined for another nomination, if that even seems possible. Frears has directed Mirren, Dench and Streep in what appear to be fine and memorable films -- a nice trifecta.
I just came from Seeing FFJ and it was an amazingly delightful film... the reviews did not lie about the 3 main performances .. more about this later.
I laughed, smiled and cried... what more can you ask for in a movie???
A dozen, mostly good, except for the last 2 or 3.
1. The Grifters
2. Dangerous Liaisons
3. My Beautiful Launderette
4. High Fidelity
5. Prick Up Your Ears
6. The Hit
7. Dirty Pretty Things
8. The Van
9. Philomena
10. The Queen
11. Mrs. Henderson Presents
12. Sammy and Rosie Get Laid
7 so far.
Hands down best film from him = The Grifters
I didn't realize he had so many relatively obscure films.
I've seen 15. Here are my favorites...
1) Dangerous Liaisons
2) The Queen
3) The Grifters
4) My Beautiful Laundrette
5) Prick Up Your Ears
6) Cheri
7) Philomena
8) Hi Fidelity
9) Dirty Pretty Things
10) Mrs. Henderson Presents
11) The Hit
12) The Program
13) Mary Reilly
14) The Van
15) Tamara Drewe
10. And we liked Mary Reilly here in my house when I was a kid.
I've seen 17. My favorites: "The Grifters", "The Queen" and "Philomena".
"Florence Foster Jenkins" moved me more than I had expected. The story seen through the eyes of the pianist played by Simon Helberg was really a sad one.
I've seen "Julieta" by Almodovar this week. No more camp stewards on a plane, no doctor peeling people's skin off, just a touching mother-daughter-story in the purest Almodovarian style. Anyone else seen it?
I've seen 7. I remember my old English teacher saying she thought The Queen looked liked 'royalist propaganda' and it's hard to disagree with that assessment.
My favorite of his is Dangerous Liaisons though I really enjoyed The Queen and Philomena. I'll be watching Florence Foster Jenkins but in the comfort of my home some day. His movies make for highly watchable entertaining fare. And he can make some really tragic like Philomena feel light and breezy. (which is good or bad depending on how you look at it)
And with all due respect for all opinions, the best actress in 2006 was Judi Dench for Notes on a Scandal. In my mind there was no real competition. Notes on a Scandal did not get nearly the acclaim that it deserves though it was generally well received. This is should have been Dame Judi's oscar. I'm glad Helen Mirren won though because it definitely opened doors for her and Meryl's performance has entered the pantheon of classics so no worries there.
I believe Notes on a Scandal is the only Dench nomination not generated by Harvey Weinstein. Her win for Shakespeare felt it was made under the impression she would not be a repeat nominee in Best Actress. Yet the bulk of her nominations are there.
Contrary to what some people feel... an Oscar does not cement a career ... look at many of the winners in Best Actor. Actress, Supporting Actor and Actress... their careers floated away and were not heard from seriously again... while others have maintained a high profile and have done very memorable films....I feel that is what TonyT is saying ... I agree 100%
Still rippin' after all these years from the Oscar mistakes over Close/Pfeiffer and Huston/Bening.
And no Daniel Day-Lewis in '86 or Gary Oldman in '87
The 80's were arguably the worst decade for Oscar. 90's come close.
And I guess I'm the only person on earth who really adored Cheri. And I blinked and The Program was gone. Maybe Ben Foster can get some mentions for Hell or High Water this year...