Meryl Streep has been garnering the accolades yet again for another fine performance in the true tale Florence Foster Jenkins. After scoring a Golden Globe nod for Best Actress, Comedy or Musical, Streep seems to be on pace to score her millionth Oscar nomination in her illustrious career. The story of the titular woman and her unwavering determination to become a singer worthy of gracing the stage of Carnegie Hall has landed on DVD, Blu-Ray and digital download.
It is a delightful film, full of surprises, humor and heart that not only features the always stellar Streep as the title character, but Hugh Grant as her husband St. Clair Bayfield and fellow Golden Globe nominee Simon Helberg as her long suffering accompanist. A story this large in scope, in terms of one woman’s otherworldly ambition, has to have a director to usher those deeply personal emotions to life and Florence Foster Jenkins has that in helmer Stephen Frears (The Queen, Philomena).
Frears impeccably manages what would appear to be a circus to an outsider but is something quite serious to those firmly entrenched in Jenkins’ world. He has scored a fantastic film yet again with Florence Foster Jenkins and it is one that soars with song, sentimentality and the utter sheer determination of a woman who just would not take no for an answer.
Jenkins was a New York socialite with dreams of becoming a lauded opera singer. The voice she hears in her head is of the best the world has ever heard. To everyone else on the planet, it is insanely and laughably awful. Her husband, Bayfield, is her biggest supporter and uses his influence and power to get her dream gig, a centerpiece concert at the famed New York concert facility, Carnegie Hall.
The Florence Foster Jenkins features over 50 minutes of bonus features, including a fascinating Q&A with Streep and delves deeper into the music of the film, as well as giving us an even deeper appreciation for what it means to grace the stage at Carnegie Hall.
From Script To Screen is a intriguing look at the script and its attention to details in terms of the true events of the story, and how it made its tough journey to the big screen. For those with an interest in screenwriting or even simply the art of moviemaking, this featurette is a must-view in the art of taking an original idea and seeing it through to a completed film. With its constant referencing the source material and then showing it filmed form, the entire bonus feature is an education, which is also entertaining.
The Music and Songs of Florence is just as it sounds. It takes us into the musical menagerie that is the score and soundtrack of the film, as it is almost a character unto itself. How the songs were chosen and how they were delivered by Streep and the filmmakers is an interesting lesson in making a movie about a musical aspirer.
There is a certain feel to the film that gives us another layer of authenticity and that masterful work is spotlighted in the featurette Designing the Look. The production design and costumes are often overlooked elements of the moviemaking process, when it comes to the behind-the-scenes looks of a home video release. Given how important and integral they were in Florence Foster Jenkins, it is delightful to see them get their due in a terrific featurette.
Lastly, we have to highlight the Q&A With Meryl Streep. The interviewer may be a little awkward at times, but Streep picks up the slack with some fascinating stories about her past as an up-and-comer in the business, as well as her take on the icon that is Florence Foster Jenkins and her lesson to all of us… to never take no for an answer and to never take no for an answer, when we truly believe in our heart that all the answers should be yes.
Film Grade: B+
Bonus Features: B