Bette Midler horrendously miscast...embarrassing
Bette Midler acts like someone trying hard to act like someone who's raunchy, loose, free, and on drugs. Bette Midler just cannot play a hippie -- too slick, 1970s vibe, JAPpy, people-pleaser, and also way way too old for a role like Janis. Plus not a bluesy singers. Horrible singing, in fact.
I turned off the movie at the point the character has the crowd start chanting: "Drugs sex rock n roll" -- Janis would never ever ever ever do something like that. She believed in LOVE. That was her thing. Bette Midler was a New York 1970s gay icon - totally wrong and opposite of San Francisco. She is ironic, harsh, and unpleasant in a way Janis never was.
Uck...some movies just don't translate well over time.
Embarrassing.