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Best remembered for her singing voice and her role as Dorothy Gale in The Wizard of Oz, legendary performer Judy Garland nevertheless lived a troubled life. And the biopic Judy offers audiences a look at the star’s later days during a series of shows in London.
Judy stars Renée Zellweger as the beloved entertainer. In the winter of 1968, Judy is struggling to make ends meet, often performing with her children to survive. But when she’s kicked out of yet another Hollywood hotel and she’s forced to give her children back to their father, she realizes that the only way to earn enough money to pay for a new home for herself and her children is to agree to a series of shows in London. But the star’s demons—and her notorious unreliability—threaten to destroy her career.
Judy Garland’s tragic tale is nothing surprising; it’s well known and entirely heartbreaking—and that makes Judy a difficult (and sometimes emotionally exhausting) film to watch. This isn’t the story of a beloved star at the height of her popularity. Beneath the strong voice, the sharp wit, and the captivating stage presence is a broken woman, whose vices make her entirely unpredictable—a risk that few filmmakers and promoters are willing to take. And Judy doesn’t really gloss over any of it. As the star goes through her London shows, she takes pills to sleep. She takes pills to wake up. And she drinks to numb it all. She’s barely holding it together, yet she puts on a strong, determined face, her words and her attitude covering up the pain and the fear.
But there’s more to the story—and mixed in with the scenes of Judy’s experiences in London are flashbacks to her early days with MGM, showing the insults, the manipulation, and the total control that led to her eating disorder, her substance abuse, her overwhelming insecurities, and her constant need for love and approval.
Zellweger takes all of these emotions, all of these challenges and fears, internalizes them, and offers a riveting performance in return. She makes the audience feel each of her highs and lows and cheer along with each stunning show.
The story, however, has its flaws. There are moments that feel out of place and some that seem to hold back—and there are clearly things that have been rearranged or left out completely. But it uses its artistic license to capture the tragic story of a legendary performer.
Judy isn’t just “Over the Rainbow” and “The Trolley Song.” It’s a film that will break your heart from beginning to end. But Zellweger’s award-worthy performance and the emotional story make it a memorable film.
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