Florence Foster Jenkins

"She's remarkable, isn't she?"

Florence Foster Jenkins (Streep) is an heiress and music lover.  She started the Verdi Club to help others love and appreciate music.  After attending the opera with her husband, St. Clair Bayfield (Grant), she wants to resume singing lessons.  They put an ad in the newspapers to find a pianist to accompany her, and hire Cosme McMoon (Helberg).  McMoon is thrilled to work with her, especially when he learns that her vocal coach is Carlo Adams (Haig), one of the conductors at the Metropolitan Opera.  But his enthusiasm diminishes when he hears her sing.  She has a terrible voice, but is praised by both Adams and Bayfield.

Jenkins has syphilis, a condition she received from her first husband.  Her body is dying, but she remains a powerful presence.  She continues to train every day and wants to perform a concert.  Bayfield and McMoon hand-pick her audience and she is a success.  But her performance leads to a request for a bigger venue and audience.  Can Bayfield and McMoon honor her request and shelter her from ridicule?


This film is based on the life of Florence Foster Jenkins.  As the film portrays, Jenkins was an heiress with a love for music.  She was an accomplished pianist, until an injury ended her career.  She turned her attention to her vocal career.  However, she didn't have talent as a singer.  That didn't stop her from performing and gathering a large following that included notable stars such as Cole Porter.

Her story / life inspired writer Nicholas Martin to write a script about her.  Stephen Frears has directed numerous films about strong women (mostly period pieces) and was the perfect choice to direct this story.  Meryl Streep has once again disappears into a role.  She does all of her own singing in the film and makes you fall in love with the character.  Despite the fact that she receives top billing, Hugh Grant is in more of the film.  Grant makes Bayfield sympathetic and interesting.  Simon Helberg plays the piano (and does all of his own playing) and displays his comedic skills as Cosme McMoon.

It is an interesting film and Streep has award-show buzz and nominations.

Florence Foster Jenkins (2016) 110 minutes
Rating: PG-13 for brief suggestive material
Director: Stephen Frears
Starring: Meryl Streep as Florence Foster Jenkins
Hugh Grant as St. Clair Bayfield
Simon Helberg as Cosme McMoon
Rebecca Ferguson as Kathleen Weatherley
Nina Arianda as Agnes Stark
Stanley Townsend as Phineas Stark
Allan Corduner as John Totten
Christian McKay as Earl Wilson
David Haig as Carlo Edwards