I was not a massive fan of Stephen Frears‘ last movie Philomena nor am I particularly excited for his upcoming Untitled Lance Armstrong Biopic, but when a guy has Dangerous Liaisons and High Fidelity in his filmography, I’m usually going to give him the benefit of the doubt when his next movie is announced.
That said, Frears’ next is going to be yet another “based on a true story” biopic, and it has tapped Meryl Streep for its lead. So, you can definitely expect to see this film at the Academy Awards in a couple of years.
The film is entitled Florence. Streep will portray the titular Florence Foster Jenkins, an heiress who dreamed of being an opera singer. Unfortunately for her, she had a dreadful voice. That did not stop her from trying to make a career out of it. Hugh Grant has also joined the project as St. Clair Bayfield, an English actor who tried to keep the truth about Florence’s voice away from her.
This story could be taken in two very different ways. My guess is the film will go the tragedy route. Streep will get to do a lot of yelling/boasting about how great her voice is, and then the shocking reality will hit her. With this creative team, it makes sense.
The other way you could go, and the way I would prefer it, is if it went highly comedic. I think it could be an interesting take, and the making fun of her could make it even more tragic. I hope they go that way, but Frears seems to be on an earnest biopic streak, and I do not see that changing here. These people need more Oscars, damn it!
Original report from Deadline.
