Movie Review: Zellweger Zings in "Judy", Though It's Missing One Big Thing

No one should ever be defined by their trauma.

We are all familiar with the 'rise and fall' story trope. The girl next door catapults to fame, the pressure becomes too much to bear, and she meets her tragic end. It’s downright depressing, but it is the reality for many Hollywood stars, including Judy Garland. Judy, starring Renee Zellweger as Garland, powerfully details the fall of one of the world’s biggest icons, but loses impact by failing to show the rise.  

Directed by Rupert Goold and adapted by Tom Edge from the stage play End of the Rainbow by Peter Quilter, Judy centres on the last months of Garland’s career. It’s 1969 and the broke and homeless performer has taken up residency at the Talk of the Town nightclub in London. Only, in a move that severely plagues Garland throughout the film, she’s had to leave her children behind to do so.

She’s genuinely trying to create a better life for them, and this is undoubtedly the real heart of the plot. You even find yourself rooting for Garland to succeed in her mission. However, we all know how this story ends. If you’re a fan, you’d be aware of her struggles with drug and alcohol addiction, along with her deteriorating mental health. Throughout the feature, flashbacks to a young Judy Garland (Darci Shaw) justifies her self-destructive behaviour by showing us bits and pieces from her tortured past. She was horrendously mistreated, and it leaves an impact. On the other hand, it’s also important to remember that no one should ever be defined by their trauma, and this is where Judy makes a misstep.  

By focusing solely on some of the worst times in Garland’s life, the movie forgets what made her an enduring legend: her talent, and her ability to sing from the heart. Zellweger gives us glimpses of that in her performances of "By Myself" and "Over The Rainbow", except it’s difficult to appreciate those moments when you’re anticipating Garland’s inevitable breakdown. Goold evidently takes Garland’s backstory seriously, but this disoriented version of Judy does not do her justice.

Despite its flaws, Renee Zellweger’s staggering performance makes Judy entirely watchable. Sure, the occasional facial expression may remind you of Bridget Jones, yet Zellweger has found the perfect way to co-exist with Garland. There is a moment where she is pushed on stage by assistant Rosalyn Wilder (played by Jessie Buckley); "My mouth is dry, and it could fall apart," she says, and Zellweger is freakishly convincing in her anxiety. And although she was given the impossible task of singing Garland’s songs, Zellweger does a fine job.

While Zellweger unquestionably steals the picture, Irish actress Buckley also gives a phenomenal performance as Rosalyn. She brings empathy and warmth to the assistant that showed Garland a great deal of care and patience during her London concerts. Finn Wittrock does as much as he can with Mickey Deans, Garland’s fifth husband, and it’s a pity his character isn’t given more attention. The film barely builds up their whirlwind relationship, so it’s hard to care about what happens to it. In an interview with NPR, the real-life Rosalyn Wilder described Deans as being the "destructive factor" in Garland’s life, yet Deans is merely presented as another letdown among many.

Judy is at its best when we get to experience her relationship with the audience. A particularly vulnerable rendition of "Over The Rainbow" gives you goosebumps, and it’s the only time the audience actually feels included in Garland’s performance. Her relationship with the gay community is sensitively highlighted in a touching scene, a welcome reminder of the hope that she instilled in her fans. This is how Judy Garland should be remembered.

And so, I can’t help but wonder what Goold wanted audiences to take away from this biopic. Had I not known a thing about Judy Garland, I would have walked out of the theatre feeling nothing except sorry for her, and that hardly seems fair given the immense mark she left on this world. Judy is a touching tribute in many ways. Still, it’s disconcerting to think that some people might be left with this crumbled, helpless version of one of Hollywood’s greatest legends.

Judy deserves to be remembered in a better way than that.  

3.5/5

In Australian cinemas now. Rated M for coarse language.

Header Image: Universal Pictures.