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Alice (117 KP) rated One of us is Lying in Books

Mar 3, 2021  
One of us is Lying
One of us is Lying
Karen M. McManus | 2017 | Young Adult (YA)
10
8.3 (41 Ratings)
Book Rating
You know those books that you don't only read, the ones that you inhale and absorb, this is one if those books.

It's been a little while since I read a young adult book so he fact that the language was so simple and there wasn't any imagery and metaphors really put me off at the start but as soon as the story got going I was HOOKED.

I'm a sucker for character development and getting to delve into the innermost thoughts of the four main characters and learning how they think and how they react, and slowly unravelling the secrets that they keep was such a thrill.

The plot could have been weak and if stop be praising how much I relate to all the characters even in a small way but that's not just it. The story flowed so well, even with the jumps of perspective they just left you hanging and wanting to read more, I never wanted this book to end.

This little world has become so special to me in such a short amount of time that this story and these characters will stay with me long into the future.
  
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BankofMarquis (1832 KP) rated Judy (2019) in Movies

Feb 6, 2020  
Judy (2019)
Judy (2019)
2019 | Biography, Drama, Musical
7
6.7 (16 Ratings)
Movie Rating Watch
Brilliant performance by Zellwegger - and not much else
Renee Zellwegger is absolutely brilliant in her channeling of Judy Garland in the film JUDY. She deserves to - and WILL WIN - the Oscar for Best Actress. Her performance is amazing and I forgot that I was watching an actress playing Judy Garland and fell into a trance thinking I was actually watching the real Judy Garland.

Too bad the rest of the film is not this good.

Based on actual events, JUDY tells the story of a late in her career Judy Garland's trek to London for a series of Concerts. She is down on her luck, addicted to pills, filled with self doubt and ghosts from her past. In general...she is a wreck...and needs the $$ from these concerts to keep custody of her 2 young children.

And...Zellwegger plays all of these emotions as Judy very, very well as well as shining in the performance scenes where Judy was able - albeit for a short time - to "come up for air" and perform as the world class performer she is. Zellwegger trained for over a year with a vocal coach to get the singing/performance part of this film down - and it shows. She is brilliant in these moments.

The trouble with this film as written by Tom Edge (based on the stage play "End of the Rainbow" by Peter Quilter) and Director Rupert Goold is that this film doesn't really go anywhere. There is no arc to Judy's story. She starts the film as a trainwreck...and ends the film as a trainwreck. There isn't evem a realization by Judy that she is a trainwreck. She just IS a trainwreck.

And that does not a compelling movie make.

Rufus Sewell, Jessie Buckley, Finn Wittrock and Michael Gambon are all along for a ride on this train and all choose to get off before the end and the inevitable trainwreck that is going to happen.

Is this film worth seeing? Sure...for Zellwegger's Oscar winning performance. Unfortunately, it doesn't have anything else to recommend it.

Letter Grade B (solely on the performance)

7 stars (out of 10) and you can take that to the Bank (OfMarquis)