MovieChat Forums > Florence Foster Jenkins (2016) Discussion > It's Hugh Grant's film.

It's Hugh Grant's film.

posted 7 years ago by Otter (24464)
6 replies | jump to latest

St. Clair is really the main character, he's the one with the emotional journey, the one who faces crises and makes decisions and comes out of it a changed man. And Hugh Grant is quite brilliant, able to keep his performance on the tipping point of comedy, drama, and utter absurdity. He drives the film and holds it together, nice to see the old boy's still got it even if he doesn't feel like doing a lot of acting these days.

Yet Meryl got all the praise, and award nominations. Unfair, unfair!

[–] Jes' Sayin' (5947) 6 years ago

But one thing to realize about a Meryl Streep film. When she's in it, the performance levels of all the other actors in it get better.

[–] Otter (24464) 6 years ago

Fangirl!

[–] Jes' Sayin' (5947) 6 years ago

There's a SAG/AFTRA interview with Hugh Grant on youtube where he practically admits that he felt intimidated by her and decided he had to up his game to match hers.

[–] Otter (24464) 6 years ago

But he's been that good in a lot of other films! He doesn't need Streep around to be great!

Of course he's also been weak and lazy in others, so I suppose I can give her credit for making him get off his lazy ass and do his job properly.

[–] Jes' Sayin' (5947) 6 years ago

According to Slate’s deep dive into actors’ Oscar acceptance speeches, Meryl Streep is one of the most popular people to thank. In a comparison done in 2014, of 47 speeches given in the last 12 years, she even beat out God for the coveted honor of being thanked most frequently in other people’s speeches. Oprah Winfrey and Sidney Poitier were not far behind.

[–] Otter (24464) 6 years ago

I remember seeing a behind-the-scenes show about "Mamma Mia", and the director said that it was her first film, and that Meryl had given her a lot of ideas about how to use the camera and set up shots. So it's not just other actors who like to thank Meryl!

You fangirl you.