Alec B
At times the movie is a deeply uncomfortable viewing experience but that's because of how raw the performances are.
Rated 4/5 Stars •
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
02/27/24
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John A
'Georgia' is fortunately graced by Jennifer Jason Leigh and some delicate direction. Even when the film moves at an almost irritatingly slow pace, it is nearly impossible to not be engrossed by the tumultuous downward spiral of Sadie and her relationship with her sister.
Rated 3/5 Stars •
Rated 3 out of 5 stars
05/18/23
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Dieter C
To the morons that say JJL can't sing...yeah, she was supposed to suck, thats the point of the movie. 86/100.
Rated 4/5 Stars •
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
02/26/23
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steve d
Jennifer Jason Leigh gives her best performance in an emotionally effecting film.
Rated 4/5 Stars •
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
03/30/23
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Audience Member
My sister and I simultaneously took piano lessons for a number of years. A music nerd who listened to Chopin and Mozart for kicks during my youngest days, I was infatuated with the notion of playing an instrument because I wanted to emulate my idols. I started in first grade and have played ever since, my crowning achievement in my years of hard work found through my senior recital, which happened last June. My sister began the process when she was in third grade but quit sometime around sixth. Why? Because her heart belonged to such endeavors as soccer and community involvement, mine to music, movies, and art. To each his own, and our differing interests have ensured a harmonious relationship.
So I can't imagine what would have become of our bond if we both equally adored the piano or if we both equally adored soccer, but one was so severely better than the other and everyone, everyone, let it be known, the compliment increasingly eating the other with the passing of time. Such a conflict is the epicenter of 1995's "Georgia," wherein the portrayed dysfunctional relationship between two sisters is the result of one being a massively successful, Bonnie Raitt type, the other a struggling, Stevie Nicks wannabe who possesses none of the talent of her sister. Of course, the more celebrated sibling is the one who gives the film its name, and, of course, the actress playing the more celebrated sibling is the one who got the Oscar nomination.
The film, regardless of fairness, features an unbelievably brave performance from Jennifer Jason Leigh, who plays the younger, lesser sister, Sadie. Drug addicted, aimless, and driven by melancholy, she is a flailing singer wanting to be Janis Joplin, but is lacking in both ambition and genuine talent. The first time we meet her, we briefly witness her drifting lifestyle only to jump to her attendance of one her sister, Georgia's (Mare Winningham), rock concerts. Only a few seconds into listening to Georgia's voice do we crave for more - like a Joni Mitchell or Linda Rondstadt, she commands the stage and is capable of touching our souls. The camera intermittently turns to gaze upon Sadie's reaction, which, despite gorgeous singing from Winnigham's Georgia, is arguably the most memorable thing about the scene. Wet from her happy tears, we can deftly feel everything Sadie herself is feeling: pride, delirious joy, but also drowning envy.
Backstage, their relationship is revealed to be exactly what we'd expect. Georgia cares about Sadie but is clearly stressed out by her sudden appearance, knowing that she can never go anywhere without causing bothersome drama; Sadie defines so much of her existence based on her sister's brilliance that she acts like an irritating groupie. Uncomfortable as it is, Georgia invites Sadie to stay over at her house for a couple of nights with her husband (Ted Levine) and kids, old wounds, expectedly, opening as an aftereffect of the invitation.
More happens in "Georgia," including Sadie joining a bar band (who often plays to crowds of one), getting hastily hitched to a guy she barely knows (Max Perlich), and recovering from the inescapable drug collapse; we are also witness to Georgia's family life, which features a complicated marriage and kids who aren't much affected by regular warmth. But "Georgia" is mostly a plotless movie, its interest always stemming from its central sibling rivalry and the way addiction is realistically portrayed as a family affair, not just lonely self-indulgence. It is a thoughtful, often excruciatingly painful movie, but our awe for Leigh, along with co-star Winningham, is enough to keep us treading down its dark paths.
Also hypnotizing is the way it uses music as a way to heighten its drama. Where most films use such sequences as an excuse to catch a breath and forget about the stakes of the plot for a few minutes, "Georgia" sees them as opportunity to deepen the crevasse that stands between a healthy relationship between its titular figure and the messed up Sadie. Two great scenes are perhaps what we will take away most from the film, one being Leigh and Winningham's afflicting duet, which stands as the best example of how different these women are, the other Leigh's drunken, nine minute rendition of Van Morrison's "Take Me Back," which must have been quite the ordeal for the actress, considering how hard it is to consciously pretend to be someone distinctly untalented but still taken be in by their own self-regard.
Brutal but fascinating, "Georgia" is a character study of bruising realism, an analytical eye being the key to its emotional success. Leigh, maddeningly ignored by the Academy for her performance, is a tour-de-force of acting strength, and Winningham is a forgotten revelation with a voice of honey but a soul of sympathetic torment. It's all hard to watch, but don't be surprised by the way it overtakes your being.
Rated 3.5/5 Stars •
Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars
02/03/23
Full Review
Audience Member
In the same vein as The Rose, Georgia is a great rock star movie with a wonderful performance from Jennifer Jason Leigh. She is so raw in this movie when it comes to not only her musical performances but her emotional roller coster as well. Mare Winningham is also great in her Oscar nominated performance. Great screenplay an awesome soundtrack
Rated 4.5/5 Stars •
Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars
02/19/23
Full Review
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