STREEP. Virtuoso thespic rendering.
When we hear a performer sing off-key, our “perfect pitch” (according to our esteemed voice coach, the late, great Aurelio Estanislao) causes us to cringe and feel extreme psychological and physical discomfort.
However, when we watched Meryl Streep’s latest starrer, “Florence Foster Jenkins,” we enjoyed the aural assault. Her unmusical loop-de-loops, clangorous curlicues and gratingly atonal crash-landings were made entertaining, delightful and meaningful by the film’s deft combination of sintunado silliness and insightful depiction of its idiosyncratic protagonist.
Yes, Florence was wealthy, spoiled and delusional about her musical “gift,” but she was also pathetic, abused by her first husband—and basically a good person.
All of these other aspects of her prismatic character made up for her abysmal lack of talent, so we ended up laughing at her sour notes—but understanding and loving her in the end.
Streep’s portrayal achieved this unlikely outcome through sheer dint of technical and emotional prodigy. Many minutes of atrocious singing would have made a one-joke movie that would quickly overstay its welcome. But Streep is able to come up with many variations on the grating theme that transform it into a briskly and colorfully running gag.
Virtuoso rendering
In addition, her virtuoso thespic rendering of the film’s nonsinging scenes draws us warmly and empathetically to her character’s heart of hearts—and our understanding is complete.
To be sure, the film has its low and slow moments, as well as plot twists that come off more dubiously than convincingly.
One of those key scenes that falls short of viewers’ complete acceptance is her big concert at Carnegie Hall, where the huge audience hoots at her sour notes and is about to laugh her off the stage—when a single supporter succeeds in making all those cruel dissers shut up!
But, Florence and her film are able to survive its improbabilities and shortcomings, and the movie ends up as a serio-comic gem!
Aside from Streep, Simon Helberg, who plays her fiercely loyal and devoted accompanist, gets top thespic marks for his deft portrayal—which could be nominated for best supporting actor honors at year’s end.
But, the most “surprisingly” excellent performance in the film is turned in by Hugh Grant as Jenkins’ second husband St. Clair Bayfield, who has devoted his life to creating a “delusional” cocoon around his beloved Florence—so that she can find a measure of happiness and fulfillment in her sad and sorry life.
Frankly, we never thought that the usually slick and merely decorative star had it in him to get so deeply under his character’s skin, down to the conflicted core of his being.
But, Grant is able to pull off that feat of thespic prestidigitation—so, bravo! (An acting nomination could also be in the cards for him.)