"Ricki and The Flash" (movie critique)

RICKI AND THE FLASH
movie poster

Being huge fans of Meryl Streep, the Travelling Toe and The Friday Movie Mavens, went to see her new flick "Ricki And the Flash" at the mall multiplex.

Meryl Streep
(Ricki Van Dazzle)

The short overview of the story is that Linda (AKA Ricky Van Dazzle), decided to try to make it in the world of rock and roll music. She leaves her husband and 3 kids behind in Indianapolis and heads out to make it big in California.   But years later she lives in Tarzana and her music career consists of playing a steady gig at the local tavern, with her band know as "The Flash".  They play to the same group of  blue collar workers, down and outers and drinking crowd each weekend.  By day she is a cashier at the local organic supermarket and lives in a low rent apartment complex.  Her life is not one of glamour and big money.

Kevin Kline

Mamie Gummer

Ricki starts receiving calls from her ex-husband Pete (Kevin Kline) but tries to ignore them. Finely she answers one of his calls only to learn that Pete was calling to tell her that their daughter Julie (Mamie Gummer) has been ditched by her new husband for another woman.  Julie has imploded and will not leave her room, bath, eat and she is deeply depressed.  Pete asks Ricki to come back to Indy and help their daughter as his wife is out of town and he is having a hard time coping by himself.  Even though Ricki does not have the dough, she decides she has to fly to Indy and try to get her daughter back on track.  

Side Note: Mamie Gummer, the actress who plays the daughter, is the real life daughter of Meryl Streep.

Of course when Ricki Van Dazzle arrives on the scene the whole level of drama escalates.  Ricki really tries to connect  with her daughter and 2 sons, her ex-husband and his wife, Maureen, played by Audra McDonald, but on her own terms.  Her band mate and lead guitarist, Greg, is played by a bearded Rick Springfield and he has several wonderful sets on the guitar...he is still good on the ax.

Audra McDonals

Rick Springfield

Well, Dear Readers, The Travelling Toe will leave the storyline there for you to discover on your own.  

We movie goers did like the flick, but felt it was long on the singing and a bit short on the storyline. When Ricki sang a song, she sang the whole song not just tidbits of it.  Not that the band and Ricki were not good, it just overshadowed the story.

The Travelling Toe gives this movie 1 big toe up with a pair of arch supports for those 80's platform boots that Ricki wore.




Disclaimer:  The Travelling Toe is not a professional critic and any opinions expressed are for entertainment purposes.