Post by roverpup on Feb 13, 2021 14:33:16 GMT
Just saw this excellent film last night and was greatly impressed with Regina King's directorial debut. Not easy filming a stage play and although it is obviously an adaptation from the stage (even if you didn't know ahead of time it was easy to see that it was) it still incorporates enough action (with the boxing scenes, concert scenes etc.) sporadically interspersed throughout the movie to break up the more stagey "talking dialogues" aspects.
I think comparisons are natural to make with "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom" with them both being based on plays, both centring on issues of racial injustice and both encompassing musical performances into the film.
And IMO this film comes out on top!
Part of it is personal to be sure. Dan is one of the lucky individuals who had an opportunity to talk to Muhammad Ali, one-on-one, for an extended period of time. Just Dan and Ali - nobody else to interrupt. He came to our city on short notice to speak at a Sportmans Dinner, way back in 1974, just before he fought George Forman in the "Rumble in the Jungle" to regain his championship after being stripped of it because of his refusal to fight in Vietnam. So, I will always have an affinity for any story that has this fascinating man at its core.
But this film is so much more than just a peek into one night in Ali's life.
Even though the whole "after the fight" night is a concoction of the writer's mind (the screenplay is written by Kemp Powers, who is the author of the original play as well), the themes of the black struggle in American life, acceptance of others, and finding your way against the flow of events, play out realistically enough around the main characters' personalities that you soon forget that this is all make believe.
All the cast is equally strong. Kingsley Ben-Adir, Eli Goree, Aldis Hodge and Leslie Odom Jr. all are standouts in the roles.
Regina King handles the material deftly with strength and focus.
Really, really highly recommend this one!
I think comparisons are natural to make with "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom" with them both being based on plays, both centring on issues of racial injustice and both encompassing musical performances into the film.
And IMO this film comes out on top!
Part of it is personal to be sure. Dan is one of the lucky individuals who had an opportunity to talk to Muhammad Ali, one-on-one, for an extended period of time. Just Dan and Ali - nobody else to interrupt. He came to our city on short notice to speak at a Sportmans Dinner, way back in 1974, just before he fought George Forman in the "Rumble in the Jungle" to regain his championship after being stripped of it because of his refusal to fight in Vietnam. So, I will always have an affinity for any story that has this fascinating man at its core.
But this film is so much more than just a peek into one night in Ali's life.
Even though the whole "after the fight" night is a concoction of the writer's mind (the screenplay is written by Kemp Powers, who is the author of the original play as well), the themes of the black struggle in American life, acceptance of others, and finding your way against the flow of events, play out realistically enough around the main characters' personalities that you soon forget that this is all make believe.
All the cast is equally strong. Kingsley Ben-Adir, Eli Goree, Aldis Hodge and Leslie Odom Jr. all are standouts in the roles.
Regina King handles the material deftly with strength and focus.
Really, really highly recommend this one!