Viola Davis, Chadwick Boseman in Netflix's "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom"

[Schlosser85]

Chadwick Boseman's last film, starring Viola Davis as queer blues legend Ma Rainey.

“Tensions and temperatures rise over the course of an afternoon recording session in 1920s Chicago as a band of musicians await trailblazing performer, the legendary 'Mother of the Blues,' Ma Rainey. Late to the session, the fearless, fiery Ma engages in a battle of wills with her white manager and producer over control of her music. As the band waits in the studio’s claustrophobic rehearsal room, ambitious horn player Levee (Chadwick Boseman) — who has an eye for Ma’s girlfriend and is determined to stake his own claim on the music industry — spurs his fellow musicians into an eruption of stories revealing truths that will forever change the course of their lives.”

On Netflix December 18th.

Viola Davis Smolders as Queer Blues Legend Ma Rainey in First Look

 

[CaptainWagner]

The pictures look incredible. This is going to justifiably get a ton of attention due to it being Boseman's final role. Hopefully it can introduce more people to August Wilson. First Fences, now this, I would honestly love to see Viola Davis and Denzel just slowly work through Wilson's whole play cycle bringing them to screen. King Hedley II would be especially poignant in today's climate.

 

[Schlosser85]

The pictures look incredible. This is going to justifiably get a ton of attention due to it being Boseman's final role. Hopefully it can introduce more people to August Wilson. First Fences, now this, I would honestly love to see Viola Davis and Denzel just slowly work through Wilson's whole play cycle bringing them to screen. King Hedley II would be especially poignant in today's climate.

I'll watch Viola Davis do almost anything.

 

[Lencho01]

Viola Davis Remembers Chadwick Boseman at ‘Ma Rainey’ Preview Event

 

[Shinobi Shaw]

Viola Davis Remembers Chadwick Boseman at ‘Ma Rainey’ Preview Event

I cannot wait to watch this. Viola, Chadwick, the writing of August Wilson, this just looks like Oscar worthy material.

Still cannot believe he’s gone. Smh.

 

[Deck Rickard]

Looks amazing. Breaks my heart that he’s gone. But this looks like a fantastic film; I can tell Chadwick and Viola really bring it.

 

[Kane52630]

Can't wait.

 

[Lencho01]

Netflix to Campaign Chadwick Boseman as Lead Actor for ‘Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom’

 

[Lencho01]

‘Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom’ Review: Chadwick Boseman Deserves to Win an Oscar for This

 

[Lencho01]

 

[CaptainWagner]

It's out! And every bit as incredible and powerful as we all knew it would be. It hurts knowing this is Boseman's last role, but he gave it his all and earned every centimeter of the Oscar headed his way. Davis is also her reliably show-stopping self and Colman Domingo, Glynn Turman and Jeremy Shamos lead a brilliant supporting cast.

I saw Netflix has an "August Wilson Collection" link now which, coupled with Denzel dropping the news he plans to produce the whole cycle, has me thinking its going to be a massive deal dropping with him and Netflix to run the 8 remaining plays/movies. Which would be INCREDIBLE. (Just so long as they get decent sized theatrical releases and/or Netflix improves the marketing for their Originals) Get me Winston Duke as King Hedley II ASAP!

 

[Persona]

Boseman, my goodness.

I am crying right now.

 

[scarlet-witch]

Chadwick was tremendous in this, but I hadn't read the play before watching and I *really* disliked the ending.

 

[Shinobi Shaw]

Just finished it and I am blown away. August Wilson truly would've been proud. I love how the film adaptations of his plays so far still feel as if you're at the theater watching the drama unfold. If Chadwick at the very least doesn't get a posthumous Oscar nomination for this role and if Viola doesn't get nominated also, that would be a travesty. Between Chadwick's monologue about what happened to his parents, that ending scene and Viola's total transformation into Ma Rainey, those two should have award season sewn up. The writer Ruben Santiago deserves one also.

This and The Devil All The Time are my favorite movies of this dismal year.

 

[Schlosser85]

I’ve never seen Viola Davis give a subpar performance.

She’s fantastic in Doubt (one scene), The Help, and Widows.

 

[DarkKnight88]

Even Suicide Squad she’s great

 

[Schlosser85]

Even Suicide Squad she’s great

She, Margot, and Will Smith are the cast highlights IMO. Though even Jai Courtney actually had a personality for once.

 

[KaijuDude1992]

Chadwick was fantastic in this and nearly brought me to tears in two key scenes that he has, but I also thought Viola Davis was equally strong here as Ma Rainy, although I've never seen her give a bad performance either. Honestly, the whole cast was great IMO, but the former really do deserve somekind of awards recognition once the season starts, especially Chadwick who I still can't believe is gone.

 

[CaptainWagner]

Chadwick was tremendous in this, but I hadn't read the play before watching and I *really* disliked the ending.

Do you mean the FINAL scene?

Spoiler

The scene of the white band stealing Levy's song isn't in the play. They added it here as a homage to the history of black music being appropriated by white artists via predatory producers like the one shown here. I thought it served both as a representation of that reality and as a fitting cap to the themes of ownership that underline the piece. Sure, it's a hecking bummer, but you very rarely walk away from a Wilson piece with anything resembling a happy ending.

 

[Shinobi Shaw]

Considering what we know about Chadwick and his deteriorating health during this film now,

Spoiler

That scene where his character got hoodwinked and he started cursing God and being blasphemous felt TOO REAL. The spit flying, the tears, I really wonder how much of that scene was acting.

But damn he went out on a high note.

Chadwick was fantastic in this and nearly brought me to tears in two key scenes that he has, but I also thought Viola Davis was equally strong here as Ma Rainy, although I've never seen her give a bad performance either. Honestly, the whole cast was great IMO, but the former really do deserve somekind of awards recognition once the season starts, especially Chadwick who I still can't believe is gone.

They all really were. Glynn Turman especially was great too in his role, but he always brings his A-game. Loved him since he was Colonel Taylor on A Different World.

 

[Persona]

Chadwick was tremendous in this, but I hadn't read the play before watching and I *really* disliked the ending.

I thought the ending was incredible.

 

[samsnee]

How’s this compare to Fences?

 

[Kev4000]

How’s this compare to Fences?

This is more show-y for voters. You have even the things about the villainous old-white-man concept here. Davis made me laughing the whole movie along with her performance (Coca Cola). But Im not sure if that was intended.
Boseman is great in his serious moments. But specially in the reherarsal room he is too much of a fighet for me. Trying to open the door, looking into the locker, laying on the bank, going to the room. Thats too much theater acting for a movie. Oscar nomination is deserved anyway for this.

Thats leading to the direction, which is totally off for me. If you want to see a play, then I go to a theater. It took a long time to dive into that setting for me to be honest.

 

[Persona]

I mean, yeah, it is a fairly faithful adaptation of a play. That is going to limit how cinematic it is and of course the dialogue and the rhythm of the acting is going to feel like a play, for the most part.

But that doesn't make it any less outstanding for what it is or what is trying to do. And in a pandemic world, being able to watch at home an A++ rendition of a great play (and with a few cinematic touches, too)... turns out that is a very worthwhile thing.

 

[Persona]

The other thing is that the movie does things, even though the settings are limited, to enhance the storytelling in ways that a play can't. The editing, the very fluid utilization of sound and music, the lighting, the mise-en-scene with the photography and how the film used close-ups (so many great ones here, from moments on Levee's face when he remembers his mother to Ma's ringed hands gripping her girl), the montage as Toledo speaks about the "stew"... Its roots are the play and it does stick to those roots, but I do think it does enough to validate itself as a film rather than just a filmed play.

I also loved the final added touch with the white band. Darkly comic and heartbreakingly truthful.