Review of Florence Foster Jenkins (2016) by Vg L — 14 May 2016

Emerging from Florence Foster Jenkins last night at the Odeon, Hastings, brother & Mrs Dobson, myself and Micra Mary all agreed that we'd immensely enjoyed the film. My one caveat (Meryl Streep fans look away now) being that Meryl as ever, overwhelmed the leading role and made it her own, rather than became the character.

However Micra Mary declared that she had been utterly convinced by MS's Florence Foster, so much so that she'd totally forgotten that it was MS, so perhaps it was just my MS aversion. However this morning, MM over a mug of tea MM admitted that she had experienced some indigestion during the night and felt it might be an over-indulgence of Streep combined with too much lasagne.

In the cold light of day the film didn't seem quite as good as it had when she'd left the cinema. I replied that it would be some time before MS's powdered face would fade from the forefront of my mind.

However we still felt that Hugh Grant, like a favourite son who has never quite lived up to expectations, did excel himself although MM was sorry to see that he was beginning to look older. I pointed out that it would have been ridiculous if he'd still looked in his mid-thirties while having been married to Meryl Streep for 25 years.

Also - who played the pianist was exceptional. To sum up if you love Meryl Streep you will love Florence Foster Jenkins. If you dislike Meryl Streep the film is still endearing, interesting, funny and almost moving in places.

For me the two male leads (Grant & Simon Helberg as the pianist) were a delight.