Review of Florence Foster Jenkins (2016) by Kriss T — 17 Sep 2016

Truth is stranger than fiction and in the case of Florence Foster Jenkins that is certainly a reality. Meryl Streep play the titular character who, despite having no talent for the rhythmic use of her vocal cords, manages to become a singing sensation with the loving help of her adulterous husband who will bribe the great city of New York to fall in love with her.

It raises the questions of whether living a happy lie is better than living a miserable truth. Now, Jenkins had money so it is a lot easier to chase a dream when you have the resources to do so but you are happy to bypass that fact seeing as her naivety becomes charming and a little sweet.

This is where Florence Foster Jenkins raises a smile but it can soon be upturned whilst trying to decide if you should be laughing with her or at her. Does she actually believe she can sing or is it all a big joke that only she is in on? Streep is fantastic but you expect nothing less, so for me it is Hugh Grant and Simon Helberg who steal the show.

Helberg brings a likeability to Cosme McMoon whilst Hugh Grant manages to make St Clair Bayfield a combination of devotion, bitterness, guilt and manipulation and it is for this he becomes the MVP of the show.

Whether you like his character or not is down to his performance and believe me with each scene you will change your mind. However the intrigue in these two characters fails to go as deep as one would have hoped and the emotional punch that the film richly deserves fails to really materialise.

The film is just shy of two hours however by the end it feels as flat as Florences' A minor. With a little more depth and focus this could have been a real hidden gem however the performances elevate it more than the range of the script.

An interesting story that perhaps didn't have the ability to become more than just that.