REVIEW: FLORENCE FOSTER JENKINS
One of the great tragedies of being in Britain at this time, which I'm sure you're all sick of hearing of, and even to my fellow Americans they must be tired of hearing of...is that Finding Dory comes out over a month later over here. I have to wait until returning to the States to see the sequel to one of Pixar's best! One of the upsides however, is I do get to see some films that look like they'll just be getting a theatrical release in the UK. One film I doubt is going to compete with Dory and the sure to be Oscar-winning Independence Day: Resurgence is Florence Foster Jenkins, a story about a woman whose life was destined to be portrayed on the silver screen. Having Meryl Streep fill the glittery sequins of your life is a pretty good consolation prize for Miss Jenkins, who could easily be considered the world's worst opera singer.
I don't encourage you to look at the real Mrs. Jenkins' Wikipedia page until after you've seen the movie. If you think this movie isn't going to float your boat, just check out her page for the pure oddity that is her life. Some lives are stranger than fiction, and she's up there. The premise essentially revolves around Hugh Grant, refreshingly playing a part where his charm is not needed romantically, playing Jenkins' husband St. Clair Bayfield, who, let's say, "ensures" his wife stays blissfully ignorant about her vocal talents. "It is both, or neither," he says, extending an invitation to a critic with a fresh $100 bill attached. Simon Helberg rounds out the main cast as Cosme McMoon, a new pianist Madame Jenkins hires, who is baffled as to why so many people think her voice is wonderful. He's not being gaslighted. Through a quarter century of work, Bayfield has put together a specialized "audience" for his wife that "hears" her voice just fine.
Like when one mounts something on a shelf so high for others to try and achieve it, Meryl Streep is her own category like Citizen Kane is to movies themselves and Babe Ruth is to baseball. When you watch her films you set the bar high because this is going to be a Meryl Streep movie. Well, a Meryl Streep movie is maybe a little different than a Meryl Streep performance. She is the queen for sure, performing out of the ball park in just about anything. Out of Africa is bloated Oscar-bait, but she is wonderful in it. So here as the titular FFJ. With a voice as awful as is depicted here, you would have to think there would be some self-awareness to Mrs. Jenkins, and that's covered later. Streep is wonderful as a woman whose life may be in this little artificial bubble of congratulation, but the truth is she's simply a lonely person. Something happened to her long ago that still affects her to this day, and even if she did know she wasn't the world's best singer, what's wrong with people sitting around and telling you you are?
The believability of the film really is weighted by that disclosure at the start of it, "Based on true events." When things start to seem incredible, you tell yourself, "well, it must have happened sort of this way, of course the studios will take liberties." And once you find yourself in that groove, you learn to just enjoy the ride. "The Big Bang Theory's" Helberg was really an unexpected surprise. If Streep wasn't so mirthful belting out those awful opera numbers, I'd say he had the most fun. His Cosme McMoon (which sounds like a wonderful alcoholic beverage sold in space) is sheepish, a little effeminate (though he can't tell when gay men are hitting on him at a party) but loyal. He always sticks by Mrs. Jenkins' side, even if Bayfield has to remind him every now and then. As I said, Grant doesn't really have to play the romantic here, but his charisma still glistens in a role where you're not sure if he's taking advantage of his wife or if he really does care for her. The film strives to give you both sides. Nina Arianda is a blast here, as girlfriend to a rich donor Agnes Stark. She plays the audience hear, cackling at the unfortunate sound of Jenkins' voice, but ultimately finding the silver lining in it by the end.
I'm afraid my only problem here is that things are played too safe. Philomena worked so well just as a straight story because it paid respect to a woman in such a somber situation. Here...you can have a little fun with the idea of a real world's worst opera singer. Ooh, I would've loved to have seen Wes Anderson's Florence Foster Jenkins. It's just with the absurdity of the piece seeing a wacky rendition would have been interesting. But I suppose director Stephen Frears was just trying to show respect to a woman so many mocked. The truth is she brought a lot of joy, intentionally or not. I think Miss Jenkins would have been elated to see one of the best actresses in the world portray her. I think she would've expected nothing less.
Rating: 2.5/4 stars
I don't encourage you to look at the real Mrs. Jenkins' Wikipedia page until after you've seen the movie. If you think this movie isn't going to float your boat, just check out her page for the pure oddity that is her life. Some lives are stranger than fiction, and she's up there. The premise essentially revolves around Hugh Grant, refreshingly playing a part where his charm is not needed romantically, playing Jenkins' husband St. Clair Bayfield, who, let's say, "ensures" his wife stays blissfully ignorant about her vocal talents. "It is both, or neither," he says, extending an invitation to a critic with a fresh $100 bill attached. Simon Helberg rounds out the main cast as Cosme McMoon, a new pianist Madame Jenkins hires, who is baffled as to why so many people think her voice is wonderful. He's not being gaslighted. Through a quarter century of work, Bayfield has put together a specialized "audience" for his wife that "hears" her voice just fine.
Like when one mounts something on a shelf so high for others to try and achieve it, Meryl Streep is her own category like Citizen Kane is to movies themselves and Babe Ruth is to baseball. When you watch her films you set the bar high because this is going to be a Meryl Streep movie. Well, a Meryl Streep movie is maybe a little different than a Meryl Streep performance. She is the queen for sure, performing out of the ball park in just about anything. Out of Africa is bloated Oscar-bait, but she is wonderful in it. So here as the titular FFJ. With a voice as awful as is depicted here, you would have to think there would be some self-awareness to Mrs. Jenkins, and that's covered later. Streep is wonderful as a woman whose life may be in this little artificial bubble of congratulation, but the truth is she's simply a lonely person. Something happened to her long ago that still affects her to this day, and even if she did know she wasn't the world's best singer, what's wrong with people sitting around and telling you you are?
The believability of the film really is weighted by that disclosure at the start of it, "Based on true events." When things start to seem incredible, you tell yourself, "well, it must have happened sort of this way, of course the studios will take liberties." And once you find yourself in that groove, you learn to just enjoy the ride. "The Big Bang Theory's" Helberg was really an unexpected surprise. If Streep wasn't so mirthful belting out those awful opera numbers, I'd say he had the most fun. His Cosme McMoon (which sounds like a wonderful alcoholic beverage sold in space) is sheepish, a little effeminate (though he can't tell when gay men are hitting on him at a party) but loyal. He always sticks by Mrs. Jenkins' side, even if Bayfield has to remind him every now and then. As I said, Grant doesn't really have to play the romantic here, but his charisma still glistens in a role where you're not sure if he's taking advantage of his wife or if he really does care for her. The film strives to give you both sides. Nina Arianda is a blast here, as girlfriend to a rich donor Agnes Stark. She plays the audience hear, cackling at the unfortunate sound of Jenkins' voice, but ultimately finding the silver lining in it by the end.I'm afraid my only problem here is that things are played too safe. Philomena worked so well just as a straight story because it paid respect to a woman in such a somber situation. Here...you can have a little fun with the idea of a real world's worst opera singer. Ooh, I would've loved to have seen Wes Anderson's Florence Foster Jenkins. It's just with the absurdity of the piece seeing a wacky rendition would have been interesting. But I suppose director Stephen Frears was just trying to show respect to a woman so many mocked. The truth is she brought a lot of joy, intentionally or not. I think Miss Jenkins would have been elated to see one of the best actresses in the world portray her. I think she would've expected nothing less.
Rating: 2.5/4 stars
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