By Nadia Ranaputri
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| Image credit: IMDB |
Director: George C. Wolfe
Cast: Viola Davis, Chadwick Boseman, Colman Domingo, Glynn Turman, Michael Potts, Jeremy Shamos, Jonny Coyne, Taylour Paige.
Netflix has been on a roll lately. In a time where cinemas are no longer the pinnacle for a movie going experience, streaming services have taken over that spot, and Netflix wastes no time delivering strong films as the year comes to a close. First, we had Aaron Sorkin's The Trial of the Chicago 7, a spirited and moving film, then we had David Fincher's Mank, an homage to the films of the 1930s (both films that I have already reviewed). Now, director George C. Wolfe and screenwriter Ruben Santiago-Hudson are taking us to the music scene in 1927 Chicago, complete with a stunning list of powerhouse performers like Viola Davis and Chadwick Boseman. Adapted from August Wilson's The Pittsburgh Cycle, Ma Rainey's is one of a series of ten plays that chronicles the African-American experience in the 20th Century.
In the hot swelling summer of Chicago, Ma Rainey's Black Bottom tells the story of the legendary "Mother of Blues" singer Ma Rainey (Viola Davis), who is about to record her album at the recording studio. However, several conflicts arise during the recording session. Ma Rainey has a dispute with the owner of the studio over the control of her music, while Leevee (Chadwick Boseman), the trumpeter and wild card of the band, is determined to make his stance with his lifelong dream of starting a band of his own. As the band wait to record, tension and a series of discord become center of the story; as Leevee, Cutler (Colman Domingo), Slow Drag (Michael Potts), and Toledo (Glynn Turman) engage in a series of conversations and stories regarding their battles, hopes, and dreams.
Viola Davis is magnetic as the film's headliner Ma Rainey. She's practically in charge of the whole band, holding so much power that no one even dares to question her decisions and requests. Davis is as always, a powerhouse, and this role further justifies that. She absolutely relishes playing this soulful yet stern singer. While Viola Davis is the main star, the film undoubtedly belongs to the late Chadwick Boseman. Boseman's performance is nothing short of electrifying. Everytime he's on screen, he demands on every bit of your attention. His monologue is riveting, and his delivery is powerful. So many of the film's emotional moments go to him, and it is his to command. His character arc is tragic, but it's something that he's always hidden behind his seemingly cheery demeanor. When his character does get the chance to take his arc on another level, Boseman's performance from one scene to the next just gets even more stellar. But that isn't to say that the rest of supporting cast play second fiddle, most of their performances are just as strong as Davis and Boseman. Ma's fellow bandmates join in with a chorus of performances worthy of the highest praises, particularly Colman Domingo, whose back and forth dynamic with Boseman is riveting to watch.
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| Image credit: IMDB |
As
an adaptation of a play that takes place in one day, it succeeds at
elevating the stakes for each character, particularly Davis' Ma Rainey
and Boseman's Leevee. You understand each of their motivations. It does
get more to the tell than show territory, which is something that I
usually find as an issue, but given the time constraint and the context
of the story, I can understand why they choose to go with this route.
And it isn't just that, a film that tends to tell than show can actually
be good if done well. Ma Rainey's Black Bottom is a good example
of that. The dialogue doesn't feel shoe-horned or unnecessary, it tells
the story it needs to tell. Whenever a character goes into a monologue,
it's effective enough that you get a sense of who they are and what
they're facing. You understand enough about the essence of the characters from their movements, their stories, the way they talk. It goes hand in hand with some neat visual storytelling, subtle but efficacious. There are moments where actions speak louder than words, and once it does, it really amps the film to a different level. If you're already familiar with Fences, another adaptation of August Wilson's work starring Viola Davis, chances are you'll have an easier time comprehending and familiarizing yourself with what the film wants to go for.
An important thing to note when going into this film is that it is an adaptation of the stage play that feels like an actual stage play. When films are adapted from screenplays designed for the stage, it rarely ever feels like a play and mostly fitted to something more cinematic. Ma Rainey's Black Bottom however, is more like a stage play that happens to be captured on film. It takes place in the span of a single day, and much of the film is entirely dedicated to dialogues, long monologues, and rapid decisions. This isn't a bad thing in and of itself, it's just something worth noting before you see the film, because some may be taken aback by it. It is one of those in-the-moment type of films. Most of the film takes place in one setting: the recording studio. Every conflict, every development, it's all in one place. You won't see much beyond that. But there's something so ineptly powerful in a film that is able to tell so much and still catch your attention in such little time, and limited variety of places to tell it through. Ma Rainey's, for the most part, does this incredibly well. It knows how to hit the right notes, and is unashamed to aim for the highest of notes.
Ma Rainey may have gotten her way most of the time, able to get the respect of most of the people in the studio to the point where they fulfill ridiculous requests like getting her a bottle of coke before she could sing; but Ma Rainey herself also has her own battles. Despite being able to command the room, it is clear that the producers behind her album are only interested in milking her success for their own profit rather than actual genuine interest towards her craft. "They don’t care nothing about me", Ma says in one scene, "All they want is my voice.". The film's real tragedy though, is through the band itself, particularly through Leevee. The film's core is the struggle of black artists, of how difficult it is to make music that is soulful and so truly them, and how white people can so very easily take their craft away from them. A shining and haunting example of this is when a white artist and an all-white band perform a song written and crafted by Leevee, but it is completely devoid of passion and soul that Leevee so greatly displays in prior scenes. It's uninspired and hollow, and it hits you just how much this white artist has stripped the song of any identity. In a short amount of time, Ma Rainey's Black Bottom is able to tell just a glimpse into these particular struggles, whilst also being able to hit the right emotional beats that lingers on as the film comes to a close.
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| Image credit: IMDB |
Overall verdict: If there's one reason to watch Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, it's for the incredible performances. Viola Davis commands every scene in great fashion as Ma Rainey, bringing in yet another electric performance. But while Davis is the headliner, it's Chadwick Boseman that takes center stage and delivers one of his best performances. Taking in some of that cheery, soulful, and emotional aspects that are slightly reminiscent of his performance as James Brown in the brilliant yet underrated film Get On Up, Boseman continuously elevates the film in every scene that he's in. The rest of the supporting cast are also just as brilliant as Davis and Boseman. Colman Domingo as Cutler in particular, makes a lasting impression and plays off with Boseman incredibly well. As a film, Ma Rainey's Black Bottom is an effective yet poignant piece that utilizes it runtime to tell as much as it could, and leaving an everlasting mark behind. It isn't just a film about black artists, but it's a film about the struggle of being one as well. Every band member, including Ma Rainey, is given time to voice their own battles, and it's hard to take your eyes off the screen when they do. While it mostly consists of dialogue and veers off to the tell than show element, the subtle visual storytelling is also worth noting for. The term actions speak louder than words is especially prevalent here. Despite taking place in the span of one day and one particular setting, Ma Rainey's Black Bottom is still able to hit all the right notes, elevated even more by the stellar performances.
Stars: 4.4/5
Ma Rainey's Black Bottom is available to watch on Netflix
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