No. 89. (2019) Judy. October 9th.

Film No. 89 (2019) October 9th.  6:45 PM EVENT CINEMAS Innaloo.                        

"Do you mean I have to leave my children to make enough money to be with with them?" (Judy weighs up her options after being offered a lucrative deal to sing for 5 weeks at The Top of The Town night club in London).

Judy is an interesting take on the phenomenon that was Judy Garland. Renee Zellweger plays the diva to absolute perfection as stage director Rupert Goold (MacBeth) turns his hand to film and pays a fitting tribute to an icon who is more remembered for her unfortunate demise than for her talent and pure love of her children. Goold and screenwriter Tom Edge give Judy a real stage flavour spending 70% of the film capturing the 5 week stint, her second last major public appearances, performing at Top of The Town night club in London during 1968. Zellweger gives us a Garland we all want to love. Her skill in mixing unhinged pill-popping, unabated devotion to her children Lorna (Bella Ramsey) and Joey (Lewin Lloyd) with performing with a voice of pure velvet will definitely secure many major awards. It is widely reported that the greatest pleasure Renee has gained from this project came from delivering a wonderful tribute to a diva worth remembering. 

There is background, somewhat cliched, as to why Garland had such emotional instability. These flashbacks refer to her studio contract under the care of Louis B Mayer in the 40's. The Mayer family will undoubtedly have less glowing accolades for the film! There must, however, be some truth in the depictions. Also the scene bringing Garland and daughter Liza Minnelli together is necessary and sweet  but fleeting, it forms an interesting side-track. 

The talented Irish rose, Jessie Buckley (Wild Rose) appears but unfortunately does not sing this time. Her role as Judy's London chaperone does not lead to her grabbing a mic, unfortunately. Buckley does have a fetching screen persona and adds plenty to the scenes she has with the unpredictable Judy. It is however Zellweger's film; an entertaining and most of all compassionate monument to the great Judy Garland. 9GUMS.