The central story glows. I’ve seen the movie twice now and was even more involved the second time, because I was able to pay more attention to the nuances of voice and gesture. Such a story could so easily be vulgarized, could be reduced to obvious elements of seduction, sex and melodramatic parting. Streep and Eastwood weave a spell, and it is based on that particular knowledge of love and self that comes with middle age. Younger characters might have run off together. Older ones might not have dared to declare themselves. Roger Ebert