The Bridges of Madison County

REVIEW
Robert James Walker's best-selling novel makes for a grand love story, beautifully evoking the romanticism of the novel and further illustrating the lyricism and range of director Eastwood. Streep plays Francesca Johnson, a Iowa housewife and Italian émigré whose children, upon her death, discover their seemingly staid mother was involved in an extramarital affair. As the film flashbacks to the mid-1960s, the story focuses on the four-day romance between Francesca and a photojournalist, Robert Kincaid (Eastwood). Bridges… is a truly romantic, knowing drama which is as intimate as two lovers. Only one or two slowly paced scenes which interrupt the movement of the story keep this from being the romantic masterwork it very nearly is. The remarkable Streep has a rapport with Eastwood like no other actress with whom he's appeared. And he is commendable in a role which seems to have the Robert Redford stamp all over it.