Ma Rainey's Black Bottom

Late actor Chadwick Boseman's career was filled with an interesting variety of roles from his unfortunately short life. While he started out with TV roles and playwrights early on, it was the 2010s where his filmography helped him rise to prominence. He dived into biographical parts, action flicks, and the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Black Panther. Halfway through, however, he was diagnosed with colon cancer and pushed through the last 5 years of his life to cement his legacy while suffering through that illness. His final year left the public with 2 features of his last performances, one of which was already reviewed earlier this (Da 5 Bloods). This brings us to the last project, Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, which is based on the play of the same name from author August Wilson. This has a connection to the 2016 adaptation of Fences (also based another of Augusts plays) where Denzel Washington and Viola starred in. With Denzel and Viola returning to produce and act, respectively here, I watched this awards contender on Netflix unaware of the content in the source material and ended up impressed by its tense execution. 

What's it about? Taking place in the late 1920s Chicago, tensions rise between an ambitious trumpeter and his fellow musicians during long day at a recording session. The arguments and conversations that take place regarding their respective life philosophies, beliefs in God, dreams, and their own respective hurdles that shaped their resolves all results in some great monologues. This is very much a sort of actors acting flick as it's adapting a play so its main focus is letting these people strut their performances. With its short runtime, it does a pretty good job at letting the tensions fill up as gasoline before it eventually implodes in the final 15 minutes. 

There are a few issues holding it back from fully hitting all the rights spots. This could be something as a weakness with the play itself but there is a minor character who has a romantic connection that doesn't feel memorable in her utilization. While she's used to show the sexuality of Ma Rainey, if she were removed from the film, nothing would change. There are a few monologues that don't pack the punch that the rest of them do but are still good.

 

How are the actors? In regards to story importance, the actors to focus on are Viola Davis and Chadwick Boseman. Viola commits to her role with her weight gain and strong intimidating performance that just wants to dominate in any conversation she's having, despite her surprisingly limited screen time (she's in at least 40% of it). As for Boseman, his final performance is not only excellent but wildly different as a hot-headed role abundant with a passionate temper and ambitions. Honorable mentions go to Glynn Turman, Colman Domingo, and Michael Potts for the great chemistry shared between this trio and their interactions with Boseman. Dishonorable mentions Taylour Paige for being the least necessary actor among the cast whose role offers little to nothing to the plot and could have been removed.

 

Overall Consensus: Ma Rainey's Black Bottom is a showcase of tension building that thrives off of its actors great performances, solid monologues, and good pacing with its conversations. ⭑⭑⭑⭑1/4 Runtime: 1 hour 34 minutes R

 

Reasons to watch it: You like any of the aforementioned actors and/or director George C Wolfe. You like period dramas that take place in the 1920s. You want to see characters having relevant conversations about life philosophies and their own ambitions. You are familiar with the play it's based on and want to see how it's adapted into a film. You want to see the final acting work from Chadwick Boseman. You enjoy plots that take place over a long rough day.

 

Reasons to avoid it: You dislike any of the aforementioned actors and/or director George C Wolfe. You aren't in the mood for period dramas. You are getting tired of awards contenders relying the "struggling African Americans" type of stories. You are familiar with the play it's based on but don't want to see how it's adapted into a film.