A Pathé Picture, Written by Tom Edge, Directed by Rupert Goold.
Judy Garland is one of the most iconic stars in history, and also has a tragic story that few people know, which makes her the perfect subject for a classic Hollywood biopic, and that is the issue here, it is exactly what we are so used to seeing. I wish that that had taken some risks and done something different.
It is told in a very boring style, visually uninteresting, and doesn’t allow its supporting cast to thrive.
However, it does successfully contextualise the abusive past Judy had, with a strong performance from young performer Darci Shaw.
The final rendition of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” was highly emotional and effective in the context of the film, and Zellweger excelled.
Speaking of Renée Zellwegger, she is undoubtedly the best thing here and completely carries the film. She really takes on the persona of Garland and has established herself as the strong favourite at this year’s Oscars.
While I wouldn’t be upset to see her win, I’ve seen multiple performances that aren’t even being talked about that I felt were much more deserving of that award.
Rating = 3/5
Howe's World of Film and TV 