I've seen this film twice now and I love it. The cast is perfect and the filming brilliant. A real story of illness and true love.

I'll admit, I thought that the premise of "Florence Foster Jenkins" (wealthy, tone-deaf, opera-singer-wannabee) was pretty thin high-concept until I found out that it was based on an actual person. Meryl Streep (and the film in general) does a good job of walking the thin line between the obvious broad-comedy of Florence's awful singing with the somewhat sad story of a women with medical (and perhaps mental) issues, who just wanted to live out her dream (and had a lot of cash, which helps). There seems little doubt that Jenkins contributed greatly to the music scene in New York, supported the U.S. troops, and was generally liked. Less clear (at least to me) is whether she was completely delusional about her singing prowess or whether she was "in on the joke" to some extent. I have heard some of her original recordings and she is terrible (and I couldn't tell an A-list opera star from a talented amateur), so whether she simply heard what she wanted to hear (as suggested in the movie) is open to debate. Streep is very good, as is Hugh Grant (in a perfect role for his standard British fop delivery), but as her pianist Cosmé McMoon, Simon Helberg, perhaps playing it a bit too close to his Big Bang Theory "Howard" character, was overly 'hammy' for my tastes. In the end, Jenkins' recordings sold well, but I don't know whether people bought them simply as novelty items or whether there was greater merit in her singing than the movie implies. In the fine arts greatness can come with changing tastes (Van Gogh is a classic example), but I'm not sure if that applies to opera.

Meryl Streep can play any role. This is evident when you see her turn the story of a delusional heiress into a retelling of a tender romance. Florence Foster Jenkins, because she was so wealthy, could afford to pay people to praise her. Instead, she wanted to earn their adulation by singing great operatic arias. There may be reasons why she could not hear her own voice as clearly as others could. No excuses - she loved the music too much to think that her heart would not make up for any technical failings in the execution of song. The wonder is that the story becomes a love story, not an operatic 'Dumb and Dumber.' Hugh Grant's character, Florence's husband, at first seems to be a duplicitous continental gigolo. The viewer soon learns that this judgment is facile. Because this is a true story, it's impossible to say that the plot makes no sense. Of course it makes sense - in real life, some nonsense makes sense. Florence could have been a vain scatterbrained doyenne, blind to the feelings of the people around her. The scriptwriters make sure that you understand, eventually, that she is not that person. Getting to realize takes a gradual unfolding of the plot that makes you want to protect Mrs. Jenkins. Outwardly, she is a matron dressed with good taste and panache. Inwardly, she is a delicate flower. Meryl Streep shows this nicely.

I don't think that there is anyone even among this film's biggest fans out there who think this is an accurate portrayal of the life of the eccentric Florence Foster Jenkins, patron of the arts who decided she belonged in them rather than fund them. Still this outrageous character is interpreted broadly and loudly by Meryl Streep and there's a lot of laughs between the pathos.Growing up I remember there was a kid who loved baseball and was determined to be a ballplayer. The fact that he was more unathletic than I never fazed him a bit. Fortunately he was not rich either or he would have bought a team and put himself in the lineup. Reality did overtake him in his teens and he opted for another career.There is also a classic Criminal Intent episode where rich dowager Claire Bloom who was briefly a child actress decides to finance a performance the way Ms. Jenkins does at Carnegie Hall. She killed to help get that career something Ms. Jenkins never did. Unless it was the work of several composers.One thing that was true in the film was that Jenkins did have syphilis acquired from a husband whom she kicked out. We're not sure that Hugh Grant's character ever was actually married to Jenkins. Still also accurate was that he was devoted to her and the lifestyle she provided for him.Finally this biographical film is proof positive that a few bucks in the bank are truly the only difference between the eccentric and the crazy. I assure you I would have permanent residence at Happydale Acres if I took it upon myself to have a singing career. Edward Everett Horton would have a suite ready for me.Broad, bold, and outrageous was Florence Foster Jenkins and that's how Meryl Streep plays her. It's the kind of role you can really let go and have a ball. Hugh Grant whom as he gets older is starting to resemble Cary Grant is perfect as her male companion/husband. Also pay note to Simon Helberg as her pianist accompanist who sort of joins the loony tunes express after a bit of persuasion. Meryl Streep got the latest in Oscar nominations for Best Actress and the film also was nominated for Costume Design. An outrageous movie about an outrageous character.