Based on a true story directed by Stephen Frears (The Queen, Philomena), Florence Foster Jenkins tells an inspirational story of an heiress who pursues her dream to be a great singer in New York City.
Here are my top four reasons why you should watch the movie! Let me know what you think! If you love movie reviews, check out our review on Suicide Squad.
4. If you love the early 1900s—in more color and in HD.
Meryl Streep as Florence Foster Jenkins in an elaborate Angel costume.
Everything about the movie screams the early 1900s. The taxis were the cute yellow cabs. Ensembles were huge, lavish, and glittery.
Even the streets reminded me of scenes in movies Grease and Fanny Girl with the brick walls and lonely alley ways. I especially love that even the cinematography was 1900s inspired. Scenes would change as they would in earlier television–by slowly switching frames.
3. If you want to laugh heartily…and cry deeply.
The movie is a sharp, hilarious satire. We were all laughing at the movie theater! Satirical in the sense that the main character is set to perform in Carnegie Hall, the iconic and most prestigious concert venue in New York City, but her amateur singing skills are not up to par. But beneath all the laughs, you understand each character’s motivation and the reason behind their actions. You empathize with Florence, her struggles to pursue something she loved, which is singing, despite her lack of talent.
2. Each character is distinct and you’ll be able to connect with at least one.
Florence Foster Jenkins, played by Meryl Streep, is an heiress who obsessively pursues her dream to be a great singer, without realizing her skills do not meet the standards. I can relate to her the most because my passion is singing. I attended voice lessons and auditioned a lot of times for choirs and vocal groups in high school and college but never got accepted.
🙁 #sadlife
St. Clair Bayfield, played by the amazing Hugh Grant, was a brilliant actor during his time. A character who faces the difficult choice of being married but cannot conceive a child. A person who is unselfish and willing to do everything in their power to make their loved ones happy despite of their own well-being.
Cosmé Mc. Moon is a brilliant pianist, portrayed by Simon Helberg. He is a character with innate talent. With him, everything is thought-out and planned, but his worries tend to drag him down.
1. It’s Meryl Streep AND Hugh Grant, guys.
Meryl Streep and Hugh Grant definitely carried the movie with their outstanding portrayals of Florence and St. Clair. Their chemistry was really touching and you’ll notice the underlying dynamics between the Florence, St. Clair, and Mc. Moon.
Florence Foster Jenkins is definitely worth the watch. After leaving the movie theater, I was left with a lot of theories and immediately wanted to Google their entire back story. You’ll appreciate the journey of Florence. How her life played such a big part in others’ lives, eventually changing history as we know. Her story inspires and sends a message that if you dream big and keep working hard, you’ll be able to reach them one day.
