Florence Foster Jenkins

Last week I went with a couple of friends to the local arthouse cinema to see Florence Foster Jenkins.  A sweet film about a wealthy New York socialite who owns a music club and decides that she would like to be an opera singer.  She employees a piano player and takes lesson, and is terrible.  However everyone around her tells her how good she is.  So she decides to perform at Carnegie Hall in front of 3000 friends and marines and sailors.

What seems like a silly story is based on a true person, and the movie does a good job of portraying love and friendship and following your dreams.  Meryl of course shines as usual as the dithering and silly Florence, Hugh Grant plays her loving husband and I kept looking at him as the dashing but aged man he has become.  Best of all is Simon Helberg from Big Bang Theory who plays the piano player employed to accompany Florence for her lessons.

So a sweet little movie, but more suited to a Sunday evening on the couch watching on the box I would think rather than a cinema night out.  Although if you are lucky enough to have a grown up arthouse cinema like ours that has comfy two seater couches with cushions and a wine - treat yourself.  4/5