October
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Judy (2019)
Calling the film Judy (2019) a bio-pic implies that the totality of Judy Garland’s life can be defined by her sad final six months. Viewers hoping to see the bigger picture about this mid-twentieth century entertainment icon might feel cheated, but all will be rewarded with a dramatic tour-de-force portrait of a fallen star.
We meet the young Judy (Darci Shaw) in a flashback to Wizard of Oz and the tyranny of working under the Hollywood studio system. Told by MGM executives that she was ugly and overweight triggered a life-long dependency on drugs and alcohol. We then meet the adult Judy (Renee Zellweger) at the nadir of her career, long after decades of success. By her late 40’s, American audiences had tossed her aside like a soggy rag doll but the British were still dazzled by her Hollywood star power.
A serial divorcee with two young children to feed, broke and a chronic substance abuser, she left for London hoping to revive her former fame and fortune. Instead, her performances became guessing games to see if she would make it onto stage. Eventually she imploded dramatically under the spotlight, crushed by demons beyond her control.
In its two-hours, the only highs in this film are when Zellweger channels Garland through song. The rest is an over-wrought portrait of unrelenting despair. To compress past into present the film relies on multiple flashbacks, making the editing feel fractured and discontinuous (perhaps intended to reflect Garland’s life). Despite Zellweger’s stellar performance, there is little to like about Judy. Some viewers may be distracted by the visual difference between Garland and Zellweger and the exaggerated facial tics that the latter performs excessively. Yet the film’s centre of gravity is always Zellweger, whose body language on stage is as dramatically sculptural as was Garland’s.
It’s tempting to speculate why this film is made now. Garland’s story has been told many times, and those who do not know about it generally don’t care. In times of turbulence, this film is hardly a celebration of enduring American values. Knowing the ‘true story’ behind the Garland legend shatters illusions and empowers new generations to be wary of the Hollywood dream factory.
Director: Rupert Goold
Stars: Renee Zellweger, Darci Shaw, Jessie Buckley, Michael Gambon
CineMuseFilms 
I liked your review–especially the last thought. Well, I don’t know how they worked out a deal to release it during the fall. I presume it is to flout the idea that Zellweger is candidate for the Oscars. Interesting that you make the connection between Classic Hollywood and the apathetic present.
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Thank you Cindy. I think Zellweger might be in the race for the best actress in a year of generally mediocre cinema. There are many films since 2016 that either implicitly or explicitly bemoan today’s decline (or obliteration) of values in high office. Many more to come, I suspect.
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Fresh from a screening today, my feelings are still very raw. Despite her tics and characteristic pursing of lips, I thought Renee Zellweger did a star turn! Physically she embodied the part. Her delivery was enough to convince me I was watching Judy Garland.
In contrast to your view Richard, I liked the way the film was made. Flashbacks showing her early life rang true as leading to her inevitable self -destruction. Absorbing that amount of criticism as a youngster and with that degree of stress is not conducive to optimal personal development. I felt for Judy and was greatly saddened by news of her death that came as lines of text in the last seconds of running time.
One of the year’s stand out films for my money.
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I agree that this is “one of the year’s stand out films”, although I would suggest that it rests entirely on Zellwegers performance, and in spite of some things that some viewers might find less than satisfactory.
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Hi Richard. Yes, Zellweger’s performance was so strong that it eclipsed all other aspects of the film making. I thought those elements were adequate.
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