Florence Foster Jenkins film screening feedback thread - non testers - chance to win £100 and signed poster! NOW CLOSED

[JustineBMumsnet]

Ahead of the UK release of new film Florence Foster Jenkins on 6th May, around 35 Mumsnetters attended a special preview of the film with a guest. Read the comments below for their reviews.

NON ATTENDEES If you didn’t attend, in the true spirit of Florence, we would love to hear about the 'talents' you think you have but in reality you know you're not that good at but do anyway because you love them or even the 'talents' your DC have which only a parent would really love - add your comment below and you'll be entered into a prize draw where one MNer will win a £100 voucher for the store of their choice and a film poster signed by Meryl Streep.

Here’s the film’s synopsis:
“Starring Meryl Streep, Hugh Grant and Simon Helberg and directed by Stephen Frears (Philomena, The Queen), the hilarious and moving new comedy drama FLORENCE FOSTER JENKINS is the inspirational true story of the legendary New York heiress and socialite who obsessively pursued her dream of becoming a great singer. The film celebrates the human spirit, the power of music and the passion of amateurs everywhere. The voice Florence (Streep) heard in her head was beautiful, but to everyone else it was hilariously awful. Her husband and manager, St Clair Bayfield (Grant), an aristocratic English actor, was determined to protect his beloved Florence from the truth. But when Florence decided to give a public concert at Carnegie Hall in 1944, St Clair knew he faced his greatest challenge.”

You can view the trailer for the film below:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v= 9rRVCNffvKk

The film will be on general release in Cinemas from the 6th May.

Book Tickets here:
www.florencefosterjenkinsfilm.com/showtimes

Attendees: for a chance to win a £100 voucher from a store of your choice and a film poster signed by Meryl Streep, please give your film feedback as below:

• What were your general feelings about the film?

• If you were rating the film, where 5 is brilliant and 1 is poor, what would you give it?

• Who did you attend the screening with? What did they think of the film?

• In the spirit of Florence, tell us the things you are no good at but do anyway because you love them.

Standard Insight T&Cs apply

Ooh, and another highlight was the fantastic dance number with Hugh Grant at the after party. Loved it.

Non tester here (although I did hear Hugh Grant talking about the film on Chris Evans ' breakfast show the other day and thought that it sounded a good film to watch)

My 'talent' is photography - I love taking pictures but I don't think I'll ever be good enough to be a professional photographer. Cheap storage cards with massive amounts of space have meant that I can merrily click away and occasionally there'll be a great one but there's loads of duff ones too.

Both dc have 'interesting' talents...
ds1 (10) is always singing - loudly, usually faux operatic in style, although he would be horrified if he knew that as he thinks it's cutting edge pop music style . Often it's just narrating what he is doing at that moment or about to do or has just done, but it then breaks into bits of songs (I'm an old gimmer so tend to have Radio 2 on rather than Radio 1 or anything really trendy). He'll segue from Queen to the National Anthem to Roar to I don't know what all in the same style and slightly out of tune... And all very loud. I suspect he would get on very well with Florence!

ds2 (8) does the most amazing dancing - part real heavy duty boogie-ing, part dad dancing, part dancing snowman (think of those dancing toys in the supermarkets at Halloween and Christmas...) all with a good handful of kung fu/karate moves thrown in, that have been self taught from Scooby Doo's adventures in Nepal and Hong Kong Fooey... Once he gets going it's very very funny to watch but ds2 doesn't realise why...

Non attendee.

Luckily I'm incredibly talented at everything I do

DD has many real talents. However she also does pretend gymnastics and shouts "tahdah" afterwards. I love watching her little shows and clapping and cheering, but I know most people wouldn't even know what they are meant to be clapping!

Non Attendee
I'm not very good at singing but I do it all the time around the house. It keeps me sane while I do the chores.

My son is so good at maths - he's so fast. Wish I could be so sharp.

I went to the screening by my myself owing to the fact a train strike was in full swing, but I left with that warm fuzzy feeling you get after a good night out.

The film is a heart-warming tale about one woman’s steely determination to realise her dream, and a reminder that we should all do things we enjoy even if we’re not very good at them.

Like trying new recipes even though the last three were a disaster. (Substituting quark for white sauce is NOT a good idea, and too much banana in muffins WILL make them turn black). But you live and learn!

Despite being a bit of a shit in the film, I think Hugh Grant (sorry, St Clair Bayfield) really did love his wife. Which is all we can really ask for: to love and to be loved.

My verdict: 5/5 – I really recommend seeing it! I've written a full review here: www.crummymummy.co.uk

What were your general feelings about the film? I loved it! I went with 6 girls and it was such a great feel good movie!

• If you were rating the film, where 5 is brilliant and 1 is poor, what would you give it? I would give it a 4.5/5

• Who did you attend the screening with? What did they think of the film? I attended this with 6 other mums and we had a fantastic time. Everyone loved it!

• In the spirit of Florence, tell us the things you are no good at but do anyway because you love them.

I feel like I try cooking and baking. I am total rubbish but I enjoy it anyway!

=====non attendee=====

I like to think i can cook..... i do try but i guess its just not meant to be.

Non-tester. I like to bake but it is not really a talent!

Non tester - I absolutely love to sing and always have. I'm always singing to myself, it makes me feel happy and alive. My DH and DC are always pushing me forward whenever there's an opportunity for karaoke as they reckon I can hit a note or two but I don't care whether I can or not, it just brings me joy

Was FFJ ever aware of her lack of talent? I haven't seen the film, but I thought that she did not realise how badly she sang. These reviews suggest otherwise, that she did know it.

Wish I had the confidence (not to mention the money!) to go ahead and do things. I'd say that I probably have her singing ability! I love to sing, and I do my best, but I'm always devastated when I hear myself on a recording, or look at my listeners' faces . I need FFJ's confidence to ignore reality and focus on my own joy.

I think you get the feeling in the last scene that she did know but she just loved to sing.

My talent is singing. I am terrible but live it and can't stop. Thank goodness by children are too young to complain much about it.

My DS' talent is dancing, bless him.

Non attendee: I'm a lot like Florence in that I love to sing but am horrendous at it (to the point where when my friends first heard me sing they thought it was a joke) I pursue singing though, and have discovered I'm quite good at character voices and now I'm performing with a local company for a few shows!

Thanks MN for the tickets!

I wasn't too sure about this film at first. It sounded as though it would be a bit mean, and it would have been very easy for the film makers to invite the audience to just cringe along. However, the characters were dealt with such compassion, and performed so delicately. I loved it.

I would give it a 5/5.
I want to the screening in my own but it's the sort of film you could take your mum to, go see on a girls night out, or for date night.
I am terrible at running, but love the exercise and the fresh air, so get out there and waddle around the park anyway!

In the spirit of Florence, my "talents" extend to singing, dancing and some excellent art . In reality, if I did any of these in public, if be like one of those people you feel sorry for in the audition rounds of Britain's got talent, wondering why no one has taken them to one side and told them they're awful

My talent is singing and dancing, or so I think.
I used to be ok as a child and think I can still do it. My family cringe or run for the ear plugs when I start. Nothing like encouragement eh?

I have a question what cert is the film and would it be suitable for children, well more teen/teen.

Non-tester, wish I'd gone!

I am not very good at baking, but really want to be! Tend to serve my lumpy messes to the dcs who eat it all anyway. There's a lot to be said for trying even if you are crap at something.

Non attendee. I love to bake and have fantastic ideas for decorating fun cakes for DC. Sadly, the idea in my head never works in reality. Luckily DC aren't too bothered what it looks like and still enjoy eating it :)

My kids think my French is really good because I can say a few common phrases. I think the praise has gone to my head because I keep starting conversations that I can't finish when we go camping in France now!!

Non attendee
I'm a dreadful dancer, but love it. If the music is right I'll happily bop all night, even if nobody else is on the dance floor and regardless of how daft I look. Dancing to good music makes me feel v v happy. :)

To quote Samuel Beckett, "Dance first. Think later. It's the natural order."

Non attendee

I think I can dance, but I really can't. When I'm in the kitchen cooking, I sometimes have a little boogie to the music on the radio and pretend I'm on a tv competition and winning

None tester here.

I have so many things I enjoy/love that actually I'm pants at.

My worst is singing. I'd easily make it into the worst bits of X factor auditions if I ever decided to do it. You know what. I don't care. It's cheers me up, makes me happy and glowy. I belt out songs whilst dh gives me looks and imitates a cat yowling. I have no idea what he's on about. I was more offended when my 3yo dd told me to "stop singing mummy, you are ruining the song".

Also hiking, I love it, being outside, fresh air, seeing wildlife. I'm not quick especially up hill but can happily spend a day doing and feel fantastic for doing it for a couple f days afterwards.

I once accidentally made amazingly great roast potatoes. I now proclaim myself the Queen of roast potatoes, although they've never been quite as good as that one perfect batch. But no-one ever dares to dis them.

Non-tester here!

I am a terrible dancer but why should that stop me?! I do am-dram and add a sort of comic element to any dance scenes

None tester - I love to dance but I'm terrible and have no rhythm. My daughters seem to have inherited my lack of talent but we love a good dance party once the curtains are closed