By: Ali Paglia, Staff Writer
For many of us, Gen Zer’s, the last we saw Judy Garland was when she was in The Wizard of Oz, in her bed surrounded by her “family”, realizing “There’s no place like home.” Fast forward to thirty years later, Judy Garland’s longing for a home continues again this time in the movie, Judy.
It’s set in the winter of 1968 when Judy Garland, travels to London trying desperately to resurrect her career. Hollywood has left her high and dry. In her own mid-century version of “Sunset Boulevard”, Judy is trying to do whatever it takes to be relevant again. The film makers, through both dialogue, and flashbacks give us not only the backstory of Judy’s drug abuse which she developed in her teenage years, that was orchestrated by the Hollywood studio system which every actor of the time depended on for their career. The Film also shows us her need for family, and her longing to be with her children. What moves a good story, what moves a good film forward, is conflict.
When it comes to a lead character, writers and film makers love to have a character who has story based on them with either internal or external conflict. It’s rare to have both. Unfortunately, for Judy Garland, but fortunately for the film, Garland’s life was a toxic mixture of the two. The film, like the aforementioned Wizard of Oz, Sunset Boulevard, or the past summers release of the remake of A Star is Born, all follow the classic Joseph Campbell structure of A Hero’s Journey. Garland is taken from her ordinary world to the new extraordinary world of London, where she meets mentors and faces obstacles. Only to return, with newfound knowledge about herself, and the world around her. It is difficult to make any biopic, it’s even harder when its about one of the most iconic actresses of the twentieth century, A performer, who American’s watched grow up on the screen right in front of their eyes. Renee Zellweger does a fantastic job of portraying Garland, both with her acting and singing ability, she’s a good bet for best actress in this year’s Academy Awards. I liked the movie, but you are going to have to see for yourself what’s over this rainbow.