Dialogue heavy, raw and powerful in every way; "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom" is everything you'd expect from an August Wilson adaption with scorching performances from Viola Davis and the late, great Chadwick Boseman.
In this drama set in 1927 Chicago, tensions rise between Ma Rainey, her horn player and the white management determined to control the uncontrollable "Mother of the Blues". Based on the play by August Wilson.
The magic of "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom" is how everything comes together. The characters, the music, the relevancy and the beauty of it. In a little over 90-minutes, so much happens and so much is said, you may need to view it a second time. The dialogue is key here; every word uttered by the characters are educational and deep. The fact that Ma Rainey was crowned "Mother of the Blues" and was making the record label tons of money and they still had her and her band record in some dingy prison cell-like studio is appalling. This film is so important but also so sad. The performances are some of the best of the year; Viola Davis is magnificent and majestic. Glynn Turman and Colman Domingo are terrific and vibrant in their respective supporting roles. Of course without Chadwick Boseman this film wouldn't be the same. Boseman carries this drama with so much fire, so much talent it's hard to turn away from the screen. He was incredible force and it really shows here in his final screen role. Between "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom" and "Da Five Bloods", Boseman is deserving of his Oscar praise and I think his family will take one home posthumously for one of those films. A brilliant and vibrant drama that is among the best films of 2020.
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In this drama set in 1927 Chicago, tensions rise between Ma Rainey, her horn player and the white management determined to control the uncontrollable "Mother of the Blues". Based on the play by August Wilson.
The magic of "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom" is how everything comes together. The characters, the music, the relevancy and the beauty of it. In a little over 90-minutes, so much happens and so much is said, you may need to view it a second time. The dialogue is key here; every word uttered by the characters are educational and deep. The fact that Ma Rainey was crowned "Mother of the Blues" and was making the record label tons of money and they still had her and her band record in some dingy prison cell-like studio is appalling. This film is so important but also so sad. The performances are some of the best of the year; Viola Davis is magnificent and majestic. Glynn Turman and Colman Domingo are terrific and vibrant in their respective supporting roles. Of course without Chadwick Boseman this film wouldn't be the same. Boseman carries this drama with so much fire, so much talent it's hard to turn away from the screen. He was incredible force and it really shows here in his final screen role. Between "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom" and "Da Five Bloods", Boseman is deserving of his Oscar praise and I think his family will take one home posthumously for one of those films. A brilliant and vibrant drama that is among the best films of 2020.
Follow @snobmedia for all reviews!
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