This August Wilson adaptation is set in Chicago in 1927, and follows a blues singer, Ma Rainey (Viola Davis) who is recording music in Chicago at the time. The film focuses on the dynamics between her, a white manager, and several people that work with her during the recording session, such as a horn player (Chadwick Boseman.) The film's performances are excellent. Viola Davis shows a strong range of emotion and wit, and Chadwick Boseman's charisma and command of his role are superb. It is an almost incomprehensible tragedy that Boseman passed away suddenly this year, and this is (sadly) his final performance. Wilson's dialogue is handled very well in the film; while the film generally feels like a play, it is fully engaging and properly paced. The dialogue is able to appropriately develop the characters, while also honestly coming to terms with the racial tensions and systemic discrimination that sadly plagued society during this period in time. The film also has terrific aesthetic values of the time period, from production design to costumes to cinematography. These aesthetics are not negatively impacted at all by the fact that the film largely takes place in a handful of mostly confined spaces.
While a relatively brief film in duration (94 minutes,) the film never feels too brief or unsatisfying. The pacing is deft yet thorough, appropriately contextualizing its characters and the situations they find themselves in--all while tying in to the blues music and the impact it has on the characters. Its conclusion is powerful and stirring, and appropriately feels like a fitting end to the narrative. The only major criticism I have of the film is that much of the film is relatively light on substantive plot, which does not always make the story as impactful as it could be. Even though the dialogue between characters is outstanding, some of the narrative could have used more "meat and potatoes" plot points to further evolve the course of the story. Otherwise, this is a powerful film that is well worth seeing. 7.5/10
While a relatively brief film in duration (94 minutes,) the film never feels too brief or unsatisfying. The pacing is deft yet thorough, appropriately contextualizing its characters and the situations they find themselves in--all while tying in to the blues music and the impact it has on the characters. Its conclusion is powerful and stirring, and appropriately feels like a fitting end to the narrative. The only major criticism I have of the film is that much of the film is relatively light on substantive plot, which does not always make the story as impactful as it could be. Even though the dialogue between characters is outstanding, some of the narrative could have used more "meat and potatoes" plot points to further evolve the course of the story. Otherwise, this is a powerful film that is well worth seeing. 7.5/10