Who knew that a historical drama starring Meryl Streep would elicit the loudest and most sustained laughter I’ve heard in a theater this year? Certainly not I. Chalk it up to matching the right audience with the perfect film. Florence Foster Jenkins is old-fashioned in its construction, but it’s so lovingly composed and well acted that you can’t help but appreciate the craft that went into making it.
The 2nd week of August saw a flurry of new movies. Florence Foster Jenkins is a picture I initially passed on back in August because I chose to see wider releases instead, namely Pete’s Dragon and Sausage Party. This biopic tops them both. Florence Foster Jenkins was an actual New York City heiress and socialite who loved to sing but didn’t let her lack of vocal talent stop her. In the face of substantial shortcomings, she attracted a considerable fan base. She sang at the parties of the various clubs and societies she supported, amassing a fervent following of affluent New Yorkers. Her popularity and reputation grew during the 1920s, 30s and 40s.
Florence Foster Jenkins makes a comprehensible case as to how such a bad singer could become such a sensation. People relished her awfulness. This fascination with failed crooners isn’t a peculiarity of the 1940s. The success of William Hung’s American Idol audition or the 2011 song “Friday” by YouTube personality Rebecca Black are recent examples of this phenomenon. Whether Florence was aware of the “mockers and the scoffers” is not altogether clear. To be fair, she had her genuine adherents too.
As you’d expect, Meryl Streep is flawless. Yet the production features not one but three bravura performances. St. Clair Bayfield was her husband and a minor Shakespearean actor, to boot. He devoted decades to protecting the soprano from the critical voices that might silence her enthusiasm. It’s Hugh Grant’s juiciest role in almost a decade. An important side character through all this was her pianist, Cosmé McMoon, played by Simon Helberg of The Big Bang Theory fame. His double takes and incredulous stares are priceless.
Director Stephen Frears has given us successes like Dangerous Liaisons and The Queen, so he obviously knows how to produce a tale that is perceptive as well as crowd pleasing. Despite the costume drama milieu, Florence Foster Jenkins is not some staid period piece. This is a comedic farce that relies heavily on Meryl Streep’s hilarious ability to sing really really badly. Indeed, there are scenes where most directors would have cut the song short, but Frears gives us extended takes that revel in just how truly awful she is. In the hands of Meryl Streep, the character becomes larger than life with a predilection for ornate costumes and flamboyant flair for the theatrical show. It’s a spectacle to be sure but a rather amusing one at that. Although there’s nothing funny about the deeper notion of idealistic dreams. The narrative is equally uplifting. A fearless spirit has the capacity to transcend one’s limitations.
08-30-16
16 Responses
Mark, I enjoyed this film also. And hoping Simon gets nominated for best supporting actor.
An innovative choice, although I think the filmmakers will also promote Hugh Grant in the same category.
I so agree on this one! On the surface this is just an underdog story but then there are these subversive elements that make it more interesting. I think Meryl and Kate Beckinsale are the best actresses of the year by far
Thus far, I agree. As always there will be many releases at the end of the year that will garner Best Actress buzz as well. There’s Loving, La La Land, and Fences to name a few possibilities. It’ll be interesting to see how it all pans out.
Oh yeah definitely.
I will check this as it sounds like a hoot. And Meryl Streep is flawless in my eyes.
She was so good in this.
I think she is good in everything.
I would also not expect a historical drama with Meryl Streep to elicit the loudest, most sustained laughter. Didn’t see Sausage Party, but I did see Pete’s Dragon, so I’m surprised to hear you say that this movie topped them. I recall that we disagreed about Pete’s Dragon however. That said, I could see how this film could be funny based on your description of Helberg’s performance and of how Frears lingers on her terrible singing. Maybe I’ll end up seeing it in a couple of months as awards season screeners start making their way around.
It’ll be interesting to see if Streep remains a Best Actress contender all through awards season. So much can change by the time the nominations are announced next year (January 24, 2017).
I thought this was a fun movie. Meryl Streep does it again. May not be an academy award winning performance, but she was flawless as this character. Simon Helberg and Hugh Grant were very good too. I recommend this at 4 stars
It’s been awhile since Hugh Grant was in anything of note. This was a return to form for him.
Oh dear… I HATED this. I couldn’t bear Florence which made it hard to get through the whole film.
I found her rather amusing. Despite her lack of talent, I kind of “get” why she was so popular.
I never thought I’d enjoy a comedy film as much as this one. It was definitely everything I hoped it to be, even though some sad moments were a bit lost on the audience.
It’s surprisingly funny, huh? Definitely a dramatic tale, but with enough humor to make it silly. Glad you enjoyed it.