79: Death Becomes Her with Sarah Polley & Raymond Miller

·1 hr 7 min·5 clips

Sarah Polley watched Death Becomes Her every Friday for two years—why did this movie get into her DNA?

The episode begins with host Phyllis Goh and guest host Emily St. James introducing the film Death Becomes Her and their guests, Academy Award winner Sarah Polley and actor Raymond Miller. Polley shares that she watched the movie every Friday night for two years in high school, embedding it deeply in her memory. The panel discusses the film's initial critical dismissal and its later cult following, particularly within the queer community, where it is celebrated for its heightened theatricality and drag-like performances. They analyze the film's tone, noting it exists on a high wire between live-action cartoon and satire. Critiques of the film's sexism and fatphobia are raised, with Emily St. James arguing that while it attempts to comment on sexism, it lacks the escape velocity to fully succeed. The conversation turns to Robert Zemeckis's direction, with surprise expressed over his involvement given his broader filmography. Meryl Streep's comedic performance is praised, with guests debating whether she is a better comic actor than dramatic actor. The film's special effects, which won an Oscar, are noted for holding up well. Personal stories emerge, including Sarah Polley's experience with body image pressures in Hollywood that influenced her move away from acting. The episode concludes with ratings from each guest, reflecting a mix of enjoyment and critical reservations about the film's problematic aspects.

As heard by us

A loose, funny rewatch finds the film's comic surfaces opening into genuine unease.

Death Becomes Her gets a 1992-minded rewatch built around a shifting score: Emily St. James says she once might have placed it at 55, now has it in the low 60s, and suspects the conversation may pull her higher.

Read the full review in PlayNext →

Why you'd press play

Want a Death Becomes Her conversation where Meryl pops, Goldie gets reappraised, and a baby may interrupt?

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

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