Meryl Streep with bronzed guns for arms?
Believe it. “The River Wild” is a terrific family action film with a wonderful cast. Only one of its charms is watching Streep take on a fresh role, as a former river raft guide who is still athletic enough to muscle her way down the whitewater.
Streep and her family begin the film in domestic turmoil. She and her husband (David Strathairn) are on the ropes, and they hope a raft trip in Streep’s old haunts with son Roark (Joseph Mazzello, previously of “Jurassic Park”) will improve family relations.
They encounter two genial rafters, Kevin Bacon and John C. Reilly, who need help on the river. Turns out they are armed robbers escaping a job, and they commandeer the family raft, with Streep as their guide through dangerous waters.
The plot may be hokey, but the actors sell their parts. Bacon is an amazingly likable weasel, and Reilly is just dopey enough to be a real threat. Strathairn is a cold fish who warms up quickly when his family’s in trouble, and we root for all of them.
No doubt much of the credit goes to director Curtis Hanson, who also made eminently watchable movies out of “Wonder Boys,” “L.A. Confidential” and “In Her Shoes.”
“The River Wild” is a fun way to watch a family come together under trying circumstances, no lectures necessary. The scenery and the outdoors action carry us along, while the actors make it all seem nearly effortless entertainment.
There are a few cautions for parents — there’s a bit of mild language, and the threat of violence from the crooks. Bacon at one point shoots a park ranger point blank in the chest, but there is no gore, and the violence makes sense in the context of the film. Perhaps not perfect for your 6-year-old, but certainly a 10-year-old would find little harm.
“The River Wild”
Rated: PG-13, for mild language and a couple of violent confrontations.
Best suited for: Families who like outdoors and action movies, with kids perhaps 9 or 10 and older.
