Judy

Years after the peak of her fame in The Wizard of Oz, Judy Garland heads to London for a series of intimate concert performances at a famed nightclub. The shows reveal her warmth and charisma, paired with the exhaustion that life in the spotlight can bring. Between songs she reconnects with old friends and fans who still see her as a living legend, even as the pressure to perform never quite leaves her side. A budding romance with musician Mickey Deans adds a tangled thread to her crowded schedule, offering a glimpse of private happiness amid the public glare. The film paints a portrait of a star wrestling with age, memory, and desire. Her performances carry sly humor and a stubborn defiance that keeps the audience rooting for her.

Directed by Rupert Goold, Judy adapts Peter Quilter's End of the Rainbow for the screen, with Renée Zellweger delivering the title performance and a tight focus on Garland's late London residency, the backstage rituals and the emotional pressure behind the dazzling stage numbers.

Produced on a budget of 10,000,000 dollars, Judy grossed around 38,981,322 dollars worldwide, a respectable showing for a prestige drama. The film found its strongest legs in North America and Europe, buoyed by Zellweger's lead and the Garland legend.

Zellweger's portrayal earned her the Academy Award for Best Actress, marking a career high for a performance that many regard as a definitive reinvention. The film also attracted Golden Globes attention and additional nominations, signaling broad industry recognition for the portrait of a beloved star.

Critics praised the restrained direction and Zellweger's near transformative turn, though some noted a nostalgic tone that can feel glassy rather than intimate. The film probes fame and aging, memory and the cost of living under a public gaze, with Garland's voice as the through line.