Alien at the Movies

Ricki and the Flash

An estranged wife & mother (Meryl Streep) who left her family years ago to follow her rock & roll dreams returns to her conservative mid-western family when her daughter has a crisis. Diablo Cody's screenplay about reconnecting is predictable and contrived but entertaining. it's poor vs rich, liberal vs conservative, new wife vs ex-wife, a divorce, a wedding, a moody cray-cray daughter (Streep's real life daughter, Mamie Gummer), and a gay son. Is there any role that Streep can't play? Streep is up to the challenge of portraying the aging rocker enjoying her craft & playing her heart out in a seedy Tarzana bar. Streep with Rick Springfield sing quite a few numbers. 

Alien gives it 2 ½ "a mother's regret & redemption" stars out of 4.