Judy (2019)
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A portrait of Judy Garland's final year as she seeks a new beginning in England while grappling with her past and personal demons.
The story
The film follows Judy Garland's career during the final year of her life as she relocates her stage career to England. The narrative is punctuated by flashbacks to her childhood, most notably her iconic role as Dorothy Gale in The Wizard of Oz. After experiencing a run of sell-out concerts in London, Judy's efforts begin to falter as her health deteriorates. The story explores her struggles with substance abuse, her demanding professional schedule, and the emotional toll of her past, as she attempts to navigate her final performances while dealing with personal exhaustion and anxiety.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
In 1939, 16-year-old Judy Garland is told by studio head Louis B. Mayer that she has a unique gift, leading to her stardom as a Hollywood child star. However, she is forced by a ruthless minder to take amphetamines and is emotionally and physically intimidated by Mayer. In her forties, after a divorce from Sidney Luft, Judy meets nightclub owner Mickey Deans. In 1968, she moves to England for a series of engagements, leaving her children behind. In England, she struggles with substance abuse and memories of Mayer's abuse. She meets two fans, Dan and Stan, and eventually marries Deans. Despite her struggles, she continues to perform, eventually facing a final night on stage where she performs 'Over the Rainbow' with the support of her fans. Judy dies six months later in the summer of 1969.
- First release year
- 2019
- Runtime (minutes)
- 118
- Production countries
- United Kingdom; United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Rupert Goold
- Writers
- Peter Quilter · screenplay
- Cast and characters
- Renée Zellweger · Judy Garland; Finn Wittrock; Jessie Buckley; Rufus Sewell; Michael Gambon
- Genres
- biographical drama
- Themes
- substance abuse; childhood trauma; fame and its costs; motherhood
- Tone and mood
- compassionate; dreary; soul-searching
- Premise and plot tags
- biographical; drama; musical; true story
- Source material / true-story basis
- End of the Rainbow by Peter Quilter
- Reception
- The film received generally positive reviews, with Zellweger's performance garnering widespread acclaim. It holds a weighted average score of 66 out of 100 on Metacritic and an approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
- Reported review scores
- Metacritic · score: 66 · scale: 100 · review count: 46
- Awards and nominations
- Academy Award · Best Actress · win; Golden Globe Award · Best Actress · win; SAG Award · Best Actress · win; BAFTA Award · Best Actress · win; Critics' Choice Movie Award · Best Actress · win
- Production trivia
- The production budget was $10 million.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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