Usually, when a biopic hits theaters, you'd expect it to hit big with the Academy Awards. Biopics are Oscar fodder if there ever was any, as proven by their penchant for winning swaths of those statues. Florence Foster Jenkins won't break the bank at next year's ceremony. Nonetheless, it's an enjoyable diversion, and it may pop up again at Oscar season if only for the possibility of Meryl Streep gaining yet another nomination.

It's the 1940s. The U.S. is fighting the Second World War, and Florence Foster Jenkins (Streep), a rich New York staple of the upper class, spends her days at numerous events with the help of her husband, St. Clair Bayfield (Hugh Grant), who we learn had ambitions of being an actor but resigned himself to not achieving that fate (also not aided by a lack of talent that the opening scene shows). After Florence witnesses a performance by an opera singer with a stunning voice, she invests herself fully into becoming an opera singer, even auditioning to have an accompanist on the piano, eventually finding one in Cosmé

The real Florence Foster Jenkins lived a varied and productive life, even going as far as making some recordings, as pieces like this CBS segment show. Her singing voice, if it wasn't known already, is legendary. What's surprising, though, is that Streep has shown us that she can sing in previous roles, including her most recent excursion into musicals. Perhaps as a testament to how skillful a performer Streep is, all the musical mutilation that Jenkins indulges in throughout the movie is somewhat vindicated at the end, when Jenkins has a vision of herself performing onstage, and Streep's beautiful voice shines through.

Of course, this isn't just Streep's show. Grant gives one of his best performances in years as an incredibly loving husband (his choice term of endearment for Florence is 'Bunny'), and one who'll stop at nothing to maintain Jenkins' image as a singer. Rebecca Ferguson has some excellent scenes as Bayfield's girlfriend, who in the end reaches the end of her patience with how their relationship is going and leaves him. However, the real find is Helberg. Fans of Big Bang won't be disappointed, but he shines on the big screen, and hopefully this will be the first step towards a bigger and longer-lasting career.

Florence Foster Jenkins isn't a great film; don't expect to gain much awards season momentum outside of Streep. However, there are worse things than seeing Streep show us her limitless talent onscreen. Her glowing performance, as well as the wonderful supporting performances of Grant and Helberg and the incredible period detail, all but assure that a good time will be had.