Synopsis
The story of Karen Silkwood, a metallurgy worker at a plutonium processing plant who was purposefully contaminated, psychologically tortured and possibly murdered to prevent her from exposing blatant worker safety violations at the plant.
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Cast
- Meryl StreepKaren Silkwood
- Kurt RussellDrew Stephens
- CherDolly Pelliker
- Craig T. NelsonWinston
- Fred WardMorgan
- Diana ScarwidAngela
- Ron SilverPaul Stone
- Charles HallahanEarl Lapin
- Josef SommerMax Richter
- Sudie BondThelma Rice
Recommendations
- 100
Chicago Sun-Times
That could have been a good movie, but predictable. Mike Nichols' Silkwood is not predictable.... We realize this is a lot more movie than perhaps we were expecting. - 100
TV Guide Magazine
Mike Nichols, in his first venture into movies since "The Fortune," elicited superlative performances from the actors, particularly Streep and stage veteran Sudi Bond. - 100
Boston Globe
Fueled by Meryl Streep's performance in the title role, energized by Nora Ephron and Alice Arlen's script and tempered by Mike Nichols' understated direction, Silkwood is a brilliant movie that puts art above polemics, and the facts above speculation. [14 Dec 1983] - 80
Variety
A very fine biographical drama. - 75
The Globe and Mail (Toronto)
Silkwood is a friendly, kooky and caring film. [09 Dec 1983] - 70
The New York Times
Silkwood is a very moving work about the raising of the consciousness of one woman of independence, guts and sensitivity. - 67
Austin Chronicle
Wonderful performances steal the show in this film based on the real life of Karen Silkwood, a worker in a plutonium factory in Oklahoma, whose health and safety concerns prompt her public exposure of the company's practices which, in turn, lead to dire personal consequences. - 63
Christian Science Monitor
Despite the drawbacks of the Silkwood screenplay, written by Nora Ephron and Alice Arlen, this is a directorial triumph for a filmmaker who has artistically matured during his absence from the screen these past several years.
