Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?

Author(s): Chris Perkins
Location: Illinois

“Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?"

Directed By Bennett Miller
Produced By Tim Burton
Adapted By Charlie Kaufman
Music By Carter Burwell
Edited By Jill Bilcock

Principal Cast:

Alec Baldwin as George
Michelle Pfeiffer as Martha
Heath Ledger as Nick
Rachel McAdams as Honey

Drama

Tagline: "Welcome... to a night of fun and games with George and Martha!"

Synopsis: Based on the 1962 play written by Edward Albee and the 1966 Academy Award winning film directed by Mike Nichols, "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" is the story of an argumentative aging couple and a younger couple who spend an entire night exposing each others secrets and ultimately humiliating themselves. George is a failed alcoholic college history professor married to a virago named Martha, the daughter of the University president who George works for. George and Martha's once loving relationship is now dealt with sarcasm, bitterness, alcohol, and violence after certain events turn their marriage into a battle of words. At a faculty party, Martha and George invite Nick and Honey to their home. Nick is a new faculty member of the biology department married to his skinny, mousy, and ditsy wife Honey who wants to keep her skinny figure by throwing up after each meal. As the couples engage in conversation and drink liquor obsessively, Martha and George begin their usual sarcastic rants that humiliate and embarrass the other. Soon Nick and Honey are in the middle of these rants and reveal their secrets and their true selves. "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" is an emotionally draining film that deserves to be called a true classic as the original film.

What the press would say:

Bennett Miller directs this emotional and dramatic film about two couples all dealing with issues in their lives and spilling their guts out to the people around them. Academy Award nominees Alec Baldwin and Michelle Pfeiffer star as George and Martha, the bitter aging couple who deep inside truly love each other. Baldwin delivers a knock out performance as the alcoholic history professor married to his acid tongued wife. Baldwin conveys more than just the mad husband who says terrible things to his wife role that would have been played blandly by any other actor. He gives a performance full of heart and wittiness. Pfeiffer is equally as excellent. She plays Martha, the frumpy, sexy, and virago wife of her failing college professor husband. Pfeiffer's performance maintains realism to a character that is sort of cartoonish and unreal. Also in the film are Rachel McAdams and Academy Award nominated Heath Ledger. McAdams plays Honey, the mousy, skinny, and ditsy wife of Nick who is secretly throwing up so she can stay thin. McAdams continues to shine as entertainment's most promising star. Ledger plays Nick, the good looking, clean-cut, Midwestern professor who is has just become part of the biology department at a University where George works. "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" may not match the original film, but it stays true to the material and doesn't try to make it clean-cut or censored to get a PG-13 rating. The four actors in this movie should all get consideration for their brave and courageous performances. "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" should also be considered for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay and any other categories.

For Your Consideration

Best Picture (Drama at Golden Globes)
Best Ensemble Cast (SAG)
Best Director (Bennett Miller)
Best Actor (Alec Baldwin)
Best Actress (Michelle Pfeiffer )
Best Supporting Actor (Heath Ledger)
Best Supporting Actress (Rachel McAdams)
Best Adapted Screenplay (Charlie Kaufman)
Best Film Editing (Jill Bilcock)
Best Art Direction
Best Cinematography
Best Costume Design