Have you ever love something that much that makes you happy and strong enough to fight your every day? Something you are too passionate about that no one or nothing can stop you until you get it? Do you live your life embracing what you are and what you love the most about it or you just prefer to sit and watch other fight and make their dreams come true while you keep dreaming about yours? If your answer is yes, good for you, and if not, shame on you, would say "Florence Foster Jenkins" (2016), the new film of the multi nominated and awarded actress Meryl Streep, with another of their unique and charming performances that will touch you as much as make you laugh while having a fun time discovering the life of someone who's only talent was being fierce and brave enough to do what she likes to do the most. This a story of not very well know artist, if we can call it that way, a wealthy woman that with all the power that money can buy, she only desires to use for one purpose, keep music alive through difficult times, like those back during World War 2, when all the boys were fighting for their country, so back home the only reasonably thing to do is to support and keep inspiring the families that are losing their sons or living in a breaking point because the situation, so bringing music to New York City and preserve it in such hard times, was her only wish, because as she said, she lives for music, and music is the only thing she knows.
And she knows it very well. She can appreciate an opera, She knows every song played by the orchestra and she used to play piano so can identify a great pianist from a wanna be. But aside of her knowledge is her lack of talent. She loves the attention and she is such a social buff that becomes a character for all her acquaintances, so at any opportunity she will perform as an actress or singer. But no one wants to tell her the truth and break her dream and joy of performing but happens that when she sings, she is terrible, or not terrible but just the worst singer on earth as the New York Post published once. But there is a reason why her closest friends, specially her lovely husband, that adores her, try to keep her living this dream of fame and perfection, and is because she is a survivor. After suffering a deathly desease when was really young, she got better, with no possible explanation from the doctors, she just can't play the piano anymore but she is alive and other than some side effects she is ok, and living and loving it. And she is doing no harm, on te contrary she is trying to change the world and keep is full of music, the thing she feels passionate about, so as wealthy woman, she will perform as a opera singer with the little fact that she has any technique or knowledge or talent about it, she just will go for it and try to entertain others.
The films focuses on the last days of her life, moving the writing in a way that feels more like those classic movies from the golden era of cinema, and with a talented cast and direction that will take the audience through the path of a woman that seems spoiled while doing whatever she wants and the side story of a man that adores her passion and conviction but also realizes his sacrifices in order to help and love her so needs to make a life on his own, finding another love that will nurture him too. And a third character is introduce along the way, the new pianist that will take her on this last journey having the opportunity to get involve with this peculiar family and become someone worth to see, now living out of the shadows and realizing what life has waiting for him. And so, with such warm and lovely characters the story and this film in particular will move to very serious waters, under a direction that seeks more for the truth behind what everybody saw on that woman than what actually is happening in her life. Such a colorful character deserves to be navigated through all kinds of shades to expose the whole her and realize how many layers are in there. The music and score is delightful, magical as a new classic, edited as an old timed film but is the cast who makes it a delightful comedy, turning this drama that otherwise would be as intense as listening one of her ridiculous performances, is the terrific performances that make the audience to connect with this characters and care about them, after understanding their intentions.
But definitely, listening this woman sing is as absurd as watching any parrot trying to speak or a little poppy trying to bark. It's horrendous and only someone as talented as Mrs. Streep is capable to turn such lack of talent into something funny and lovely at the time. Because the story stars after she realizes that wants to sing again because she had heard the most beautiful voice at her last assistance to the opera, and again, remember, she loves music, so she gives a special concert for a few people, very intimate. But as always, even most of her friends applaud her, everybody agrees she is terrible at singing, but not her husband that will manipulate whoever is necessary so she gets the best reviews and so she will, moving her to record and album that will end at the radio and some marines will love, inspiring her to make a bigger performance for free to the marines and inspire them as gratitud for their service to the country. But is then when she will face the truth about her life and her, talented voice. And not even her husband will save the day. But she is happy to die doing what she loves and prefer to think she did it rather that she couldn't. So is it ok to encourage someone that you love to pursue it's dreams even knowing is not good at it? Or hiding the truth could be a good thing depending circumstances rather than be honest and tell things the way they are with the possibility of making people change or try to improve? Is it ok to try to do something good when you are really bad at it? Or why we keep listening others opinion when if not doing any harm and trying to be inspiring, have to give up for judgement of others, instead of getting love, support and cheers just for trying? We love to discourage others in base to our own judgment even we are or not qualified for it.
But also we get to see the fight and perspective of two men. One old man, with the usual charm of actor Hugh Grant, making a come back to the big screen and embracing his new look as a senior man, that tries to make a life of his own, cheating on her wife that he adores but is consuming him, so his love has evolve into something bigger, having an affair that is more a commitment to another woman while keeps trying to make happy to her wife and standing at her side, since he met her, when was a young actor seeking for an opportunity until he realized he is not destined to be a great actor, and he made peace with that, and thats when you take out of you ambition and start living, and he does, and seems happy about it so tries to share this with his new friend and companion in this musical joiner, the young and talented pianist that is fighting to build a name and a career as a musician, because seems like nobody understands musicians and are underrated, so even he is having a great opportunity, by performing in places he would never imagines and meeting famous people from the high society of NY, he will learn a new lesson about the other face of love and money and his career that only experiencing the other side, the dark one, the one everybody tries to avoid, the one that has no success, no talent, that will knock you out while fighting for something that no one sees, but everybody criticize, is that you will learn about your self, about your true nature and what you capable of, because in those moments are when your skin gets thicker and experience will make you grow up and face the world being just you and not being what others expect you to be and that is high note hard to achieve but if you do, putting ambition on the side, letting yourself free, will be ready to live and fight for what really maters for you and that at the end will inspire others more than anything.
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