Judy (B or 3/4 stars)
After a 6 yr. hiatus and a mini-comeback in 2016 for Bridget Jones' Baby, Renee Zellweger is firmly BACK and in fine form, dazzling us as Judy Garland in 'Judy', based on the play 'End of the Rainbow' written by Peter Quilter (who adapts this film, too) & directed by Rupert Goold. With Oscar-caliber proficiency, Zellweger captures the brittle strength & tragic vulnerability of the legendary singer. The warmth, wit & magnetic emotion of her voice is on full display. This melancholy {with needed levity thrown in here & there} film focuses on fragile Judy's final London concerts before her untimely death by overdose in 1969 at the age of 47.
By that time, she had already self-destructed; having yielded to perpetual substance abuse by way of uppers, downers & alcohol -- very sad to see. Due to a lack of $$, Judy is devastated to leave her youngest children (Lorna & Joey) with their father, Sid Luft (Rufus Sewell); while she accepts a 5-week engagement at the Talk of the Town nightclub in London. There, she battles her demons while becoming a headache for her handler, Rosalyn Wilder (talented Jessie Buckley) & the owner of the nightclub, Bernard Delfont (Michael Gambon). And out of sheer loneliness, she marries her 5th(!) husband, young pianist, Mickey Deans (Finn Wittrock). Throughout the film, there are spellbinding musical sequences of Zellweger poignantly singing "You Made Me Love You", "The Trolley Song", "By Myself", "For Once in My Life", "Come Rain or Come Shine" & ultimately "Over the Rainbow".
Haggard & gaunt, Zellweger's world-weary songster is a broken woman, & flashbacks to the late 1930s reveal why. As eager Frances Gumm (Garland lookalike, Darci Shaw), her life was completely controlled by her cruel stage mother & tyrannical - even predatory - MGM studio head Louis B. Mayer (Richard Cordery), who dictated what she could & could not eat {pills basically substituted for food}, who she could date {Mickey Rooney was ever-present} & even when the fake 'photo op' for her 16th birthday would occur. Since age 2, and for 45 more yrs., Judy rarely had control over her own life. And watching her final performances on-stage range from brilliant to tragic and back again is something to behold.
Ultimately, this tale is a tragedy, chronicling how a supremely talented & popular teen was despicably abused, exploited, tormented; and how that translated into her adult life. Judy lived for her children and sought love & approval from everyone in her life {as evidenced from her copious marriages), and she even sought attention from strangers so as to feel self-worth {as evidenced by a couple of gay fans; lovely scenes}. On the technical front, 'Judy' impresses with beautiful set recreations of 1960s London & 1930s MGM backlot. The costumes, hair & make-up team worked wonders to make Zellweger look as much like Garland as possible; in some shots, you'd think it WAS Judy. And Gabriel Yared's understated music aids the proceedings.
Now, while 'Judy' is not the most comprehensive or illuminating biopic you'll ever see ... the reason to see it is Renee Zellweger; who gives another versatile portrayal in her varied repertoire (Jerry Maguire, Bridget Jones, Chicago, Cold Mountain). Is her portrayal 100% Judy Garland? Not quite. A few Zellweger-isms creep in here & there. And of course, it is difficult to replicate the sound & exactitude of Judy's iconic voice. But Renee delivers a devastating performance; capturing the specific mannerisms, posturing, off-the-cuff humor & incredible essence of Judy a good 75% of the time, which is SENSATIONAL in & of itself. Marking the 50th anniversary {where did the time go?} of her death, 'Judy' honors its titular star very well.
By that time, she had already self-destructed; having yielded to perpetual substance abuse by way of uppers, downers & alcohol -- very sad to see. Due to a lack of $$, Judy is devastated to leave her youngest children (Lorna & Joey) with their father, Sid Luft (Rufus Sewell); while she accepts a 5-week engagement at the Talk of the Town nightclub in London. There, she battles her demons while becoming a headache for her handler, Rosalyn Wilder (talented Jessie Buckley) & the owner of the nightclub, Bernard Delfont (Michael Gambon). And out of sheer loneliness, she marries her 5th(!) husband, young pianist, Mickey Deans (Finn Wittrock). Throughout the film, there are spellbinding musical sequences of Zellweger poignantly singing "You Made Me Love You", "The Trolley Song", "By Myself", "For Once in My Life", "Come Rain or Come Shine" & ultimately "Over the Rainbow".
Haggard & gaunt, Zellweger's world-weary songster is a broken woman, & flashbacks to the late 1930s reveal why. As eager Frances Gumm (Garland lookalike, Darci Shaw), her life was completely controlled by her cruel stage mother & tyrannical - even predatory - MGM studio head Louis B. Mayer (Richard Cordery), who dictated what she could & could not eat {pills basically substituted for food}, who she could date {Mickey Rooney was ever-present} & even when the fake 'photo op' for her 16th birthday would occur. Since age 2, and for 45 more yrs., Judy rarely had control over her own life. And watching her final performances on-stage range from brilliant to tragic and back again is something to behold.
Ultimately, this tale is a tragedy, chronicling how a supremely talented & popular teen was despicably abused, exploited, tormented; and how that translated into her adult life. Judy lived for her children and sought love & approval from everyone in her life {as evidenced from her copious marriages), and she even sought attention from strangers so as to feel self-worth {as evidenced by a couple of gay fans; lovely scenes}. On the technical front, 'Judy' impresses with beautiful set recreations of 1960s London & 1930s MGM backlot. The costumes, hair & make-up team worked wonders to make Zellweger look as much like Garland as possible; in some shots, you'd think it WAS Judy. And Gabriel Yared's understated music aids the proceedings.
Now, while 'Judy' is not the most comprehensive or illuminating biopic you'll ever see ... the reason to see it is Renee Zellweger; who gives another versatile portrayal in her varied repertoire (Jerry Maguire, Bridget Jones, Chicago, Cold Mountain). Is her portrayal 100% Judy Garland? Not quite. A few Zellweger-isms creep in here & there. And of course, it is difficult to replicate the sound & exactitude of Judy's iconic voice. But Renee delivers a devastating performance; capturing the specific mannerisms, posturing, off-the-cuff humor & incredible essence of Judy a good 75% of the time, which is SENSATIONAL in & of itself. Marking the 50th anniversary {where did the time go?} of her death, 'Judy' honors its titular star very well.