[7]

Meryl Streep stars in the true story of a plutonium processing worker who is purposefully contaminated with the lethal substance after she initiates a whistle-blowing campaign about the company’s safety standards. Kurt Russel plays the love interest and Cher plays the best-friend and would-be lesbian lover. As directed by Mike Nichols (The Graduate), Silkwood conjures a very specific and palpable setting — the impoverished rural flatlands of Oklahoma in the 1970s. I enjoyed the atmosphere, despite the radioactivity. Nichols’ entire cast feels spot-on, with Streep and Cher being given the most to work with. Diana Scarwid and Craig T. Nelson are among the supporting players. The film ends a bit overly dramatic and Georges Delerue’s score threatens to emotionally smother a few moments, but Silkwood is a good story about one woman’s fight against the system.

Oscar Nominations: Best Actress (Streep), Best Supporting Actress (Cher), Best Director, Best Film Editing, Best Original Screenplay (Nora Ephron, Alice Arlen)