Coram Deo ~

Looking at contemporary culture from a Christian worldview

Tag Archives: Renée Zellweger


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My Review of JUDY

Judy, rated PG-13
** ½ 

Judy tells the story of singer Judy Garland as portrayed by Renee Zellweger, who recently won the Oscar for Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role. The film was directed by Rupert Goold. The screenplay was written by Tom Edge (The Crown), based on the stage play End of the Rainbow by Peter Quilter. Jeremy Woodhead (Stan & Ollie, Doctor Strange), received an Oscar nomination for Best Achievement in Makeup and Hairstyling.
The film does not look at Garland’s entire life, but instead chooses to tell her tragic lifestory story in two places, bookending her short life (she died at age 47). First, we see her in 1939, at the beginning of her career, (the young Judy is played by Darci Shaw), filming the classic The Wizard of Oz, in which she starred as Dorothy. Judy worked up to 18 hours a day, was not allowed to eat much and was given diet pills to maintain her weight, as well as pills to stay awake and to fall asleep. She is controlled, threatened and verbally abused by MGM studio head Louis B. Mayer, played by Richard Cordery (The Wife).
The film then takes us to the last year of her life, eventually leading to Garland, played by two-time Oscar winner Zellweger (Judy, Cold Mountain), performing five weeks of sold out concerts at the “Talk of the Town” nightclub in London in the winter of 1968. Continue reading →


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My Review of SAME KIND OF DIFFERENT AS ME

Same Kind of Different as Me, rated PG-13
***

Same Kind of Different as Me is an inspirational film based on a true story. The film is directed by Michael Carney. The screenplay is written by Carney, Alexander Foard and Ron Hall, based on the bestselling book Same Kind of Different as Me by Hall, Denver Moore and Lynn Vincent. The film features a very good cast, with four Oscar nominees, two of whom are Oscar winners.

**SPOILER ALERT**
As the film begins, we meet wealthy Texas art dealer Ron Hall, played by Oscar nominee Greg Kinnear (As Good as It Gets). Ron’s marriage to Debby, played by a nearly unrecognizable Oscar winner Renée Zellweger (Cold Mountain), hasn’t been good for a while, and he is now having an affair. When told by an acquaintance that if he doesn’t tell Debby about the affair that she will, Ron does confess to Debby, who is a Christian. The assumption is that Greg is not a believer.
Debby forces Ron to choose between her and the woman he is having an affair with. Ron chooses Debby and she agrees to forgive him, even calling the woman Ron has been having an affair with. She also wants him to serve with her at Union Gospel Mission in Fort Worth, a local homeless shelter where we meet the likeable Chef Jim (Thomas Francis Murphy).
Debby is also having dreams, about a wise old Black man who will change the city.
It is at the homeless shelter that Ron and Debby meet Denver, whose street name is ‘Suicide’, played by two-time Oscar nominee Djimon Hounsou (Blood Diamond, In America).  Debby tells Ron that Denver is the man she has seen in her dreams. As they get to know Denver and build a relationship with him, Ron and Debby hear of his horrific past, which we see in flashbacks.
Oscar winner Jon Voight (Coming Home) plays Ron’s obnoxious alcoholic father Earl. Father and son have a contentious relationship. Ron’s mother is played by Geraldine Singer. The Hall’s children are Regan (Olivia Holt) and Carson (Austin Filson).
As far as content issues, the film does include several instances of the “n-word” and some of the flashbacks from Denver’s life show horrific things that happened to him.
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The film is built around relationships and is a bit slow. In addition, clocking in at a full two hours, it could have been edited down significantly.
Overall, this is an inspirational film based on a true story that is well-acted, particularly by Djimon Hounsou. Themes include self-sacrifice, pain, faith in action, love, kindness, forgiveness, friendship and hope.