Ma Rainey's Black Bottom
Tensions rise when the trailblazing Mother of the Blues and her band gather at a Chicago recording studio in 1927. Adapted from August Wilson's play.
- Released: 2020-11-25
- Runtime: 94 minutes
- Genre: Drama, Music
- Stars: Viola Davis, Chadwick Boseman, Glynn Turman, Colman Domingo, Michael Potts, Jonny Coyne, Taylour Paige, Jeremy Shamos, Dusan Brown, Joshua Harto, Quinn VanAntwerp, Antonio Fierro, Roger Petan, Daniel Johnson
- Director: George C. Wolfe
Comments
- bk753 - 20 May 2024
Better acting than story
Ma Rainey is real, her talent and influence are real, and the fact that she made recordings in Chicago in the time period is also real. Much of everything else in here is either fictional or subjective, including the makeup of her band. I realize that "liberties" are often taken with "based on actual story" movies, but it seems like this film stepped way over the lines in order to tell a certain narrative. I don't mind that, but it influences how I view/judge a film.
The acting is incredible... Viola Davis and Chadwick Bozeman are outstanding, as is Glynn Turman (in a lesser role). The cinematography and costumes are spot on, and the film is vibrant and well directed. My only real qualms are with the fictitious story, the seething anger of Bozeman's character (Levee, who didn't exist), and the filmmaker's use of him to drive the narrative of racial hate. I don't doubt that his story is (sadly) a fair representation of this period in America, I just wonder why Levee's tale was so predominantly used here. Was Ma's actual story any less incredible? Her real life exploits and impact are amazing... I guess I'd rather just have seen a more realistic story about HER with less emphasis on fabricated characters and a stuttering nephew.
A 9 for the acting but a 5 for the Hollywood story that left me a little cold. A 7 sounds fair. - Wordwhisperer - 1 January 2023
I thought it's about the music
I really thought this movie it's all about the music, but I was completely wrong. It's only about some people arguing, other complaining and Ma Rainey being shown as one huge egocentristic person, reduced to someone that does not care about anything else but her. The movie is boring, the script is weak, the acting, except for Chadwick Boseman, is way beyond what a movie should be.
This should have been a celebration of music, a celebration of great people doing great things, but they are all reduced to small chit-chats, with no story, only for some people to have their agenda present in the movie.
