The Bridges of Madison County starts with a mystery.  A sister and her brother try to find out why their mother requested that she be cremated and her ashes scattered from a bridge rather than be buried next to her late husband.  Going through their mother’s things, they learn about four-day affair that she had with a photographer who was just passing through town and taking pictures of covered bridges.

Meryl Streep plays their mother, an Italian war bride named Francesca.  Clint Eastwood plays the photographer, Robert Kincaid.  The movie shows how Francesca, trapped in a loveless marriage, rediscovered her passion for life and love during her four-day affair with Robert.  Robert rediscovered his love for photography.  (I like to take pictures so I was happy for him.)  With her family due home after a trip to the Iowa State Fair, Francesca had to decide whether to abandon them to pursue her affair with Robert.  Since this is the first that her children have ever heard about the affair, it’s easy to guess what she decided to do.

My aunt loved this film and I like it too.  It’s the most tasteful film about a woman being tempted to abandon her family that I’ve ever seen.  It’s a film about adultery that the entire family can enjoy!  The film looks beautiful and Meryl and Clint … wow!  Let’s just say that they seemed to be really into each other.  The two leads give such heartfelt performances that every moment felt authentic and by the end of the movie, I very much wanted to see Francesca’s ashes dumped over the side of that bridge.  Whenever anyone says that Clint Eastwood could only play cops and cowboys, tell them to watch Bridges of Madison County.