3 Stars!
The acting was great. Renee Zellwegger put in an academy award worthy performance. But, I thought the plot the director chose was not the best to highlight and showcase Judy Garland's life. This was an exceptionally talented woman and the movie focuses on the last year of her life. There were moments that went back to her Wizard of Oz times, but they were far and few and the most interesting to me. I really wanted to know more about her childhood and how she became "the Judy Garland". The movie shined light on her drinking and prescription drug addiction along with her not so good choices for parenting or husbands, but we already know that. I would have liked to see more about HER. Nevertheless, the acting was great and there were snippets of her young desires for Mickey Rooney that helped make the movie more real. It still is a must see for Renee's performance!!!!!
It was tragic, someone so talented and relatable, in her hearts from the wizard of Oz losing her family, career to the disintegrating effects of alcohol and a saddening maddening aloneness...I think it was when she said she has all of our problems and more then all put together...she probably could not find any more magic...
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It's interesting. Liza was only featured in one scene of the movie. We didn't get to see her relationship with her mom. I would have liked to see that as well.
I also want to know about her life before she was "Judy." I've only heard about her parenting from an interview Liza Minelli did.