Meryl Streep has for decades now been the best American actress (quite possibly the best actress the world over), and in Stephen Frears' Florence Foster Jenkins, she shines as a wealthy socialite in NYC who dreams of becoming an opera singer during World War II. The problem is, Florence can't sing worth a damn, and none of her close friends and companions, including Hugh Grant as her husband St. Clair Bayfield and Simon Helberg as her personal piano player Cosme McMoon, dare tell her that. Florence's influence and money run so deep that her lack of singing talent is never actually something she becomes aware of, and as a result she is the Dirk Diggler of her time: a "star" under such heavy delusion that her lousiness becomes her greatness. The movie wisely keeps the supporting characters faithful to the old woman under all circumstances, and as such Florence Foster Jenkins is that rare movie without a villain that still possesses a heart and a soul.
B
No comments:
Post a Comment