Title: Florence Foster Jenkins
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Director: Stephen Frears
Starring: Meryl Streep, Hugh Grant, Simon Helberg
Runtime: 1 hr 51 mins

What It Is: When a rich socialite named Florence Foster Jenkins (Streep) decides to start a singing career. With the help of her much younger husband St Clair Bayfield (Grant) and a young American pianist named Cosme McMoon (Helberg) she’ll try her hand at singing. There is, however, one problem with this plan. You see Florence may just be the worst singer ever heard. It is this giant hurdle that these two men must circumvent without risking the socialites’ feelings.

What We Think: Meryl  Streep is really good. Now that the obvious is out of the way I can say that Hugh Grant was a pleasant surprise. Overall the story is what it is a biopic of a person whom outside of this movie we’d never have known about. This film does not do enough to secure the “feel” it is trying to portray. This sadly leads it to become indistinguishable by comparison. It is a joy however when things start hitting. Some good laughs and a nice core that is sincere in it’s meaning and not bitter or mean-spirited towards its subject. This is such a rare thing, but it is hurt by the weak script and pedestrian direction.

Our Grade: C, It is mediocre and not too memorable. If not for a good performance from its two leads this film is really by the numbers. Rebecca Ferguson, who was great in last year’s Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation is extremely wasted here. That is a terrible waste in and of itself. I’d recommend this if you’re a huge Meryl Streep fan, or if you enjoy pieces like this. Outside of that Streep will probably get an Oscar nomination, which I don’t think will be warranted.