It's become easy to write-off biopics as pure formula. The subject rises to fame, grapples with it in destructive ways, falls, and must be redeemed. It's not uncommon to find an offering like "Judy," Rupert Goold's new film about Judy Garland, which focuses on a snapshot moment in the icon's history. The familiar elements are present, but that doesn't take away from the movie's emotional impact.
"Judy" centers on Garland (played by Renée Zellweger, "Bridget Jones's Baby") in the last act of her far-too-short life. She is out of money, can't find work, and has two kids to support, so she shows up at her ex-husband Sidney Luft's (Rufus Sewell, The Man in the High Castle) home looking for a place to stay with their two kids. He questions her ability to care for and support the children, which backs her into a corner to take a job in London performing a series of concerts. Judy doesn't want to leave her son and daughter but does so, with the hope of returning and being able to provide a better life for them.
Once in London, Garland's demons rise to the forefront just so she can get by. Between the pills and the drinking, keeping Garland on track is no easy job for her assigned assistant (Jessie Buckley, "Wild Rose"). Garland knows she needs to perform well at the concerts, but her mind is in a million different places at once. She feels less alone when Mickey Deans (Finn Wittrock, "The Last Black Man in San Francisco"), who she met at a party and would eventually marry, comes to London to surprise her.
"Judy" works because it doesn't try to hit every moment of Garland's life, and that keeps the story a bit more focused. There are several flashbacks to when Garland was younger and working on "The Wizard of Oz;" they are effective once-or-twice but break the momentum after that. The flashbacks are used to show the cumulative effect of Garland's time in the spotlight and how she was treated as a child, which led to her life being cut short. The emotional effect could have been just a bit more effective - and the movie does emotionally pay off - if it weren't dictated by flashbacks.
Zellweger took six years off from making movies and returned to the screen in 2010, in a string of small movies most people haven't seen or even know exist (as well as a third "Bridget Jones" movie). "Judy" is a return to form in many ways for the great actress, who was once a staple of awards attention and great success before stepping out of the spotlight. Even with makeup and a wig, Zellweger doesn't look much like Garland, and that's one of the best things about her performance. So often, actors who take on real life people are focused on perfecting an imitation of the subject and miss capturing the essence. Zellweger's performance exudes the talent Garland had (she does her own singing) and the tragic nature of her persona. It's one of the best biopic performances in recent years.
"Judy" is glossy and glittery, but it captures a proper melancholic tone in telling Garland's story. Most will rightfully look to the television movie "Life with Judy Garland: Me and My Shadows," starring Judy Davis, as the definitive piece of film on Garland. It's hard to argue, but once Zellweger's Garland takes the stage in London to sing "Somewhere Over the Rainbow," your heart will break and you'll be glad you spent a few hours with "Judy."
| Movie title | Judy |
|---|---|
| Release year | 2019 |
| MPAA Rating | PG-13 |
| Our rating | |
| Summary | This biopic of the beloved but doomed singer hits all the familiar notes but that doesn't detract from the film's emotional impact. |
