Ironweed is a bleak and unsettling emersion into the lonely, desperate existence of an alcoholic, homeless couple living on the streets of Albany in the years following the Great Depression. It features the second on-screen pairing of Jack Nicholson and Meryl Streep, and it was released in 1987. Francis Phelan (Nicholson) is a former professional baseball player who is tortured by numerous events from his past. One of those events led him to abandon his wife and children over 20 years earlier. Since that time, he has simply wandered through life as a self-described bum. For a while, he found new love and housing with Helen Archer (Streep). Helen is a washed-up singer and musician who shares Phelan's love of the bottle, though she's reluctant to accept any blame for her current circumstance. Over the years, the two of them would sell off everything they owned in order to continue numbing their participation in life through alcohol. They now live day-to-day, sometimes together, sometimes apart. Both Nicholson and Streep give performances that are among the best of their careers (which would explain the Oscar nominations that both received for this film). The characters that they portray are people devoid of any self-respect, hope, or aspirations. This can make the film a difficult one to appreciate. The movie does not seek to provide excuses for the existence in which these characters currently find themselves, nor does it attempt to judge them. Director Hector Babenco simply unfolds the quite joyless reality that Francis and Helen trudge through, over and over again… as they remember days gone by, and have no reason to look forward to any days ahead. Streep is able to portray her character as one still having smarts, despite long ago abandoning socially accepted principles. She occasionally expresses brief glints of knowing things might be different… were it not for her lack of any strength to make it better. Her scene where she sings in a bar (both to a real and an imagined audience), and her scene praying in a church, are magnific. Nicholson is able to present Francis, flawed as he is, as a man who knows what a sense of honor is, even if he can't always maintain or achieve it. Two of his standout scenes anchor the tale's beginning (at the cemetery) and its conclusion (in the rental room with Streep). This isn't a film that attempts to provide a happy ending or a lesson to be learned. Rather, it unveils a few days in the lives of several people that most of us would rather not see… let alone devote a movie to. For that reason alone, I found this film extremely satisfying and worthy of more praise than was given to it by most critics.

It's too dark and melodramatic for me.

Long ( two-and-a-half-hour running time) script that brings you into the world of homelessness and poverty during the great depression. Jack Nicholson and Meryl Streep are brilliant (some critics say their talent was wasted here) but the direction and purpose of the movie escaped me. I went away thinking "but for the grace of God go I" but not sure of what I spent the time seeing.

the acting was great with strange depressed story made for Nicolson and Streep another masterpiece.

Heartbreaking performances from Oscar nominees Jack Nicholson and Meryl Streep as drunk derelicts who find evanescences of felicity in a relentlessly Cimmerian portraiture of vagrancy in Depression-striken Albany, New York City.

There are a huge array of Hollywood legends who have co starred in movies together. Some of these include Tom Hanks and Denzel Washington in Philadelphia, Al pacino and Robert De Niro in Heat, Slyvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzengerr in the Expendables series, Paul Newman and Robert Redford in butch Cassidy in the sundance kid. In 1987 another one was added to the list Meryl Streep and Jack Nicholson in Ironweed. A clearcut showcase of two of the best actors to ever do it and they nail both of these dramatic roles. Jack plays Francis a bum with a tragic past who returns to his hometown in upstate, Ny in the 1938. As he walks through his old stomping grounds he is plagued with flashbacks and unpleasant memories of people in his life including his young son whom he accidently killed. Francis also meets his former lover Helen whom he remisnces with in the streets and at a bar. The movie looks at what happens to him and her in a series of life altering days. This is a mostly character driven story, well two characters to be exact but still a great feature. trmemendous screenplay. At the heart it's a story about two people that need each other no matter what. It's a beautifully written friendship. jack Nicholson and meryl streep both disappear greatly into these roles. They're constant banter was fantastic to watch. In general seeing these two legends of the game act off each other in scenes is fantastic. I've never seen Jack play such an emotional character who is haunted by his past. jack's brings a sense of nostalgia to the character that is very relatable and human for anyone who hasn't been in their old neighborhood in a long time. Streep in an breathtaking fashion brings to life this incredible bum character. She very much embodies this woman with her mannerisms, bum teeth and rugged appearance. Streeps makes her truely someone we can enjoy on screen. Her singing of he's me pal was marvelous and the films major standout scene. The film had an awesome production design. Makes you really feel immersed in an authentic 1930's upstate Ny town. good lighting and decent cinematography

I watched IRONWEED back in 80's 5 times on theater. It's dark,and yes,depressing,Still there are some pure emotion in this film.I loved especially support actors,Tom Waits,Nathan Lane,

Jack Nicholson x Meryl Streep in this not very appealing flick.

Depression-set film has a homeless man haunted by the past returning to his hometown of Albany to face the family he walked out on 22 years earlier. Features two Academy Award nominees for action in Nicholson and Streep so no problems with the acting here.

Outstanding performances from Meryl Streep and Jack Nicholson with great costumes, make up, and sound design. I loved to see Nathan Lane pop up in one of his first film appearances and I loved the song Meryl sang in the beginning of the movie

It should be an awesome movie, but it feels like Streep and Nicholson are plowing with every gesture as if to say, "look how great I am at playing down and out." --- It just didn't work for me. Stick with the exceptional novel by William Kennedy.

After reading William Kennedy's eminently overrated Ironweed, winner of the 1984 Pulitzer Prize, I was curious to know what the two preeminent actors of our era could do with the material. This is not a story about two souls down on their luck in depression-era America struggling hard to make it despite terrible odds. Don't expect The Grapes of Wrath or They Shoot Horses, Don't They? The story is about lazy bums (both literally and figuratively) who are inebriated through most of the film and whose idea of hard work involves sexual favors. The antihero Francis Phelan left his family after dropping and killing his infant son, ostensibly in a drunken stupor. He naturally drinks a lot of booze, begs for food, beats his girlfriend and tries to befriend the family he abandoned. At one point in the film, he even berates the ghost of a man he murdered. Nevertheless, I can still enjoy movies featuring despicable, amoral characters provided those characters are interesting. Francis and his girlfriend Helen are not in the least and no amount of exceptional acting could have changed this. Rudy, played brilliantly by singer-songwriter Tom Waits IS an interesting character but used far too sparsely. I would have preferred a feature-length movie of Meryl Streep as Helen singing Tin Pan Alley standards like "He's Me Pal" than this completely forgettable film.

Nicholson and Streep simply just can't do it. What a tragedy for the finest actors of their generation. The script writer is at fault as this film bobs and weaves out of the control of its leads.

Set in the era of Great Depression, Ironweed serves to disclose the hard lives of homeless, the irreparability of mistakes and redemption with unknown final consequence. Jack Nicholson is great in blending his character in Shining and About Schmidt together to place himself in destitute here; while Meryl Streep is playing with the Southern accents again to portray an alcoholic, which is probably her most socially despised role. Unfortunately, the great duo fails to generate the sentiments to empathize me with the presence of The Grapes of Wrath.

Meryl Streep and Jack Nicholson brings this movie alive with its tightly capturing story and witty romance.

Good cast promises and performances and an absorbing 30s environment wasted by lack of character's background exploration. It touched interesting concepts. Allow me to highlight the schizophrenia one. It is precisely because of the problem I mentioned that the (scary and) emotional impact that Francis' visions are supposed to have feel flat and unexplained. In the end, it came out as a random element that could have been excluded. On the other hand, certain flashbacks were engaging and felt like richer in content, but were abruptly cut. It's like trying to pee in peace and constantly getting interrupted so you can never finish. But as a final line, I'd like this to remain: Ironweed does not deserve to be ignored with the intensity it is today. 67/100

Filme wie jener werden in der Regel vergessen. Einzig Nicholsons und Streeps Oscar Nominierungen lassen Ironweed" heutzutage historisch signifikant erscheinen. Was für ein Verlust für die Filmwelt, denn obwohl ich einiges an Ironweed" auszusetzen habe, ist dieser ungeschönte Blick auf eine Gruppe von Obdachlosen in Albany im Zeitalter der Repression etwas Außergewöhnliches - ein so gar nicht kommerzieller Hollywoodfilm. Regisseur Babenco ist bekannt dafür das Beste aus seinen Schauspielern herauszuholen, und Nicholson brilliert demzufolge als grantiger obdachloser Alkoholiker, der sich selbst so sehr verachtet (wegen einem Ereignis aus längst vergangener Zeit, so viel sei verraten), dass er ein Leben auf der Straße, einem bürgerlichen vorzieht. Wir sehen Nicholsons verletzliche Seite, immer wieder unterbrochen von Momenten des latent aggressiven und leicht verrückten Jack, wie wir ihn aus The Shining" kennen. Streep ist ebenfalls gut, allerdings, wie immer, kann ich sie als Schauspielerin nicht so gut ausstehen wie sie es eigentlich verdient hätte. Eine Notiz am Rande, Tom Waits (immer gern gesehen), Fred Gwynne und Nathan Lane durften auch mitspielen. Schauspieler - Check! Kommen wir nun zu den technischen Aspekten. Die Farbpalette des Films sticht einem zuerst ins Auge. Wie als Reminiszenz an Technicolorzeiten überwiegen Hauptfarben, und alles ist in leicht erdigen Tönen gehalten, um den 30er Jahre Effekt noch zu verstärken. Dem Milieu entsprechend sieht alles auch etwas schmutzig und heruntergekommen aus. Sprich die Atmosphäre wäre eigentlich stimmig. Leider konnte ich mich nie mit den Charakteren identifizieren. Im Amerikanischen gibt es das schöne Wort Bum", mit dem sie sich im Film auch selbst bezeichnen. Antriebslose, ewiggestrige Schmarotzer. Faul und arm, ekeln sie sich selbst und auch mich an. Schon nach kurzer Zeit gab ich auf mich für ihre Schicksale zu interessieren - sie interessierten sich ja nicht einmal selbst dafür. Großes Drama, in dem eigentlich alles stimmt, außer der Motivation es anzusehen. Eine Charakterstudie ohne schillernde Charaktere.

What an utterly depressing film about alcoholism. Damn, I need a drink.. Oh, yeah...

Directed by Héctor Babenco (Pixote (1981), Kiss of the Spider Woman (1985) and At Play in the Fields of the Lord (1991)), and adapted by William Kennedy from his own 1983 novel. This is a dark and depressing drama with a good cast to it's name, but the film buckles under the weight of it's preachy and emotional message. Having said that, it's not a bad film, but it makes for uncomfortable viewing. In 1937, Francis Phelan (Jack Nicholson) has spent the last 25 years on the road and away from Albany, New York. Back in 1910, while drunk, he dropped his infant son, killing him. Now washed up and with nowhere else to go, he returns to his hometown, he hooks up with his former lover and drinking buddy Helen Archer (Meryl Streep), who is also on the streets and has a drinking habit too. However, as soon as Francis is back in town, he becomes haunted by visions of the past, including flashbacks and ghosts of people who were alive when Francis was younger. But Francis wants to make it up with his estranged wife Annie Phelan (Carroll Baker), who he abandoned all those years back. It is a good film, but it does drag in parts, and this is a film which requires your attention, but there is some good performances from it's leads, and Babenco is a bit of an unsung director with a good style, but it could have been something more.

A gloomy but engaging piece with great acting all round- I particularly enjoyed the relationship between Nicholson and Waits. A fairly basic and skin-and-bones script but the acting talent is such that not only are the performances realistic but they also bring out more from the basic story. Not for everyone but it deserves a watch anyway.