The bath. Cleansing, soothing, relaxing, metaphoric.

Metaphoric?

Sure, why not. Renewal, Birth, the Confessional…hmm, okay, maybe not. But somewhere in there is a cliche I haven't thought of.

Anyway, what I am clear about is that Hollywood hasn't run out of bathtub scenes for the middle aged woman. That is, excluding Julia Roberts frolicking amidst and among her bubbles with Richard Gere as her audience. 

Meryl spends a good deal of time reflecting about her life while having a soak. 

Wonder why he's outside the tub in this one? How would Ms. Meyers dealt with the issue of man boobs? 

One of my all time favorite bath scenes had Diane Keaton, smoking a joint while reflecting on the state of her disintegrating marriage in "Shoot the Moon." That image, alas, is nowhere to be found. 

And while it isn't Meryl, no doubt because by this time she was voicing a real aversion to wrinkling her fingers and toes in yet another bath scene, we have the real deal soaking away with the love of her life. 

So then. Here's the real question.

Have you tried to get out of your tub, gracefully, lately?

I mean really. 

Middle aged love, in the tub, candles and champagne, and a sky hook to get you out.

Lovely.