First, the obvious: Renée Zellweger is brilliant and amazing, portraying Judy Garland as a talented train wreck. The movie primarily takes place in 1968, when her rep has ruined her chances for most career opportunities. She takes a 5-week concert run in London. The narrative also flashes back to her “Oz” days, when the pressure to perform and the ruinous routine of drugs started. Almost every scene keeps Zellweger close to the camera, while her performance effectively captures Garland’s mannered style and tentative delivery (her singing is plenty adequate but doesn’t ring quite as powerful as the original). Most of this story is wretchedly tragic (and repetitive to the point of tedium), but she manages to show moments of wit and charm. This is surely Oscar bait for the star, but it also manages to shed sad light on Garland’s complex existence.
(3.5 / 5)