“Florence Foster Jenkins” Sings Opera, With a TWIST (2016) ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Meryl Streep put her heart and soul into singing cringe-worthy opera. Director, Stephen Frears, and Writer, Nicholas Martin have created a beautifully presented biographical of an American socialite, “Florence Foster Jenkins”. Jenkins wanted to sing opera in one of the most well-known concert venues: Carnegie Hall. Little does Jenkins know, her voice was so powerful it could basically crack the glass. This movie, starring Meryl Streep as Florence Foster Jenkins, Hugh Grant as Jenkins’s husband St Clair Bayfield, and Simon Helberg as the innocent pianist. The movie starts off showing Jenkin in a theater play which shows the audience that Jenkins’s passion is to perform. After a long day performing on stage Jenkin always took off her wig and look lethargic. Is Madame Florence ill? But then again, why does Bayfield disappear and goes to another woman’s place after putting his wife to bed?
Frears and Martin beautifully created a masterpiece by drawing the viewer’s attention by leaving out many mysteries at the beginning of the plot because let’s be honest no one really knows who the real Florence Foster Jenkins is, they just wanted to see Meryl Streep in action. Streep’s previous movies like “Mamma Mia” and “Into the Woods” has earned her a lot of praise in her flawless singing. Streep’s voice in those movies is so timeless, it is like listening to a classic vinyl during a 21st century Hollywood film. During “Mamma Mia” and “Into the Woods” the way Streep incorporates singing while acting, moving around, and making facial expressions is just extraordinary. No other actor can do it as flawlessly as she is. On the contrary, “Florence Foster Jenkins” is the total opposite. Instead of showing Streep’s classic voice, Streep showed her awful singing skills. It is so bad when you hear how bad Streep sings, you won’t believe that is the real Meryl Streep voice. I found it amazing how similar Streep can impersonate Jenkins’s awful soprano voice during “Florence Foster Jenkins”. I could never imagine another actor playing Florence Foster Jenkins none other than Meryl Streep.
“People may say I couldn’t sing, but no one can ever say I didn’t sing”.
Yes, Meryl Streep and Hugh Grant are great, but Simon Hallberg stole the spotlight. Helberg’s character Cosme McMoon came out of nowhere, but as soon as he shows up, it’s game over. It is not about Jenkins anymore, it is all about the pianist. Helberg’s role in this movie is very similar to his role in “The Big Bang Theory”. They are both hilarious without trying very hard. McMoon’s awkward personality is what sells the audience into thinking that this movie’s genre is a comedy instead of drama. Although the drama genre still holds true, it is the hilarious moment when McMoon’s audition to be Jenkins private pianist that wakes everybody up from their seats and laugh until they cry (literally).
The accumulation of the cast and a glamorous costume ties this movie up together and makes this an Oscar-worthy film. The staff member works tirelessly trying to make the ageless Meryl Streep into this big, old woman that just happened to have a lot of money and rich friends. Without to the high-tech and glamorous costumes created in order to impersonate Madame Florence, the move will never be as high quality as it is right now.
Instead of making a boring biographical movie, Frears and Martin turned this into sad, hilarious film about one woman. At first, you’ll feel a sense of humor, however, once you get to know who Jenkin is on the inside, you will pity her. Eventually, the audience will find out that Jenkins has a life-threatening condition that interferes with her immune system. That is why you’ll see after a long day performing, Jenkin come home and went straight to bed because her immune system is literally earing her alive. The message behind this movie is incredibly inspirational. Jenkin’s motivation to pursue her dream in the middle of her illness and her old age just shows how much of a fighter she is. This says a lot about Jenkins, not a lot of women or men in the 1930s time is going to think as modernly as Jenkins is thinking. That is why Jenkins receives a lot of bullying from a lot of people, especially the men because they don’t understand her ulterior motive. During the 1930s women are starting to stand up for themselves and becoming more fierce to society. Men still don’t get the idea of gender equality and put Madame Florence through a lot of crap for her ambition to sing, despite her horrible voice and old age. Ultimately, besides having great technical elements, the most important element to praise about is the life story of Madame Florence herself. Her life story will touch your heart and will trigger you to laugh and cry at the same time.
