Biopics have been a consistently solid formula in the film business. Much (if not all) of an individual project’s success is obviously tied to the subject being covered. A great biographical film doesn’t move the needle when nobody knows who the movie is about beforehand. Judy is a good film with name recognition and a powerhouse performance leading the way but lacks the overall magnetism of its contemporaries to be transcendent.
Adapted from the stage play End of the Rainbow by Peter Quilter, the screenplay by Tom Edge drops in on Garland at the end of her illustrious career, desperately clinging to the only thing she’s ever known. In the midst of a tense custody battle and out of resources in the United States, she arrives in London looking to make enough money to fight for her kids. Unlike many biopics, this wasn’t a linear progression but rather a deep look behind the scenes at the bookends of her career, from her early days at MGM where she existed almost like a piece of studio property to her struggles with alcohol and substance abuse. While her formative years weren’t the primary focus, Director Rupert Goold skillfully weaved them into the narrative fabric in order to provide important context without blatant and pandering exposition. However, the presentation overlooked the middle of her life completely which made it seem like there wasn’t an incredibly successful career in between the Wizard of Oz and her death. Ultimately, it’s only Goold’s second full-length feature film and the first for Edge but the pair displayed good instincts for how to focus this particular story. Some movies are just all about the lead role and they deserve credit for understanding how to funnel everything in that direction without getting in the way.
Performances like this don’t just roll around every year. Sure, there are a number of skilled female leads that deliver consistently strong performances but this was something more. Renée Zellweger was completely transformative and outright exceptional as an almost completely overcome and vulnerable Judy Garland in the twilight of her career. Battling a number of demons, including herself, this was an incredibly intimate portrayal of one of Hollywood’s most iconic starlets in what was ultimately the final chapter of her life. Zellweger gave a performance worthy of the icon, which included rigorous vocal training to sing the songs on the soundtrack. The Oscar-winner definitely jumped to the head of the pack for 2019’s Best Actress and should be the betting favorite to take home her second Academy Award.
The supporting cast was solid but there’s no question this movie was top-heavy. Of all the supporting roles in the film, there were really only two of any real substance. Jessie Buckley continues her strong run with another good performance here as Garland’s show manager in London. She is left to do all the dirty work as Judy begins to come apart at the seams and the two bond over that understanding. Finn Wittrock had the other crucial role as Garland’s fifth and final husband, Mickey Deans. Portrayed as a conniving and self-interested businessman, there was still strong working chemistry between the actors and Wittrock’s stock probably took the biggest jump…besided Zellweger’s of course.
The film was shot with considerable style by Cinematographer Ole Bratt Birkeland but it didn’t really stand out until the final act when Garland is on stage in London. Jany Temime created some fabulous costumes to represent the icon’s legendary style and it wasn’t only relegated to her stage attire. Despite the quality filmmaking, it seems like this may have not connected with younger audiences who might not know who Judy Garland is. Films like Rocketman and Bohemian Rhapsody both took different approaches to elevate their subjects to new levels of superstardom but those were icons of a more recent era who were just getting their careers started around the time of Garland’s death. Judy has been in wide release for about three weeks and isn’t gaining any momentum. However, the push come awards season should result in more viewership towards the end of the year.
Recommendation: See it for Renée Zellweger’s incredible performance. She’s basically unrecognizable but plenty charismatic enough to carry this film on her back. Try to catch this one in theaters while you still can.