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Reviews
Argylle (2024)
Basically just a start-to-finish mess...
I'm not even sure what this movie was TRYING to be... (was it really even a comedy, as stated?) ...but unless the goal was make a meandering train wreck of silliness, then the Producers have failed here.
It was mindnumbingly long... or at least seemed like it. (I thought it was winding down, yet I was shocked to find I wasn't even halfway through). The premise was amusing (once you got to where it made ANY sense, and THAT took a while to get to), but the execution from that point was littered with dopey plot twists, and overly done fight sequences too silly even for a comedy. It does have a great cast (although most are wasted in paper-thin roles), and the visuals are enticing... but there's very little here to recommend. Believe the reviews this time and just "skate on by."
Klute (1971)
A decent film with a brilliant turn by Fonda...
When Donald Sutherland passed this week, I thought a fitting homage would be to check out a few of his early films... I started with this one. Not one of HIS better performances, however Jane Fonda is a revelation here.
Other than Fonda's incredible natural ease (and brilliance) as Bree, the movie is somewhat slow and tedious, with a few gaping plot holes. However, in 1971, this must've seemed racy and controversial, so I will absolutely give props to Pakula for this edgy, noir-ish feature. The setting is gritty and the characters are appropriately sleazy and sinister... and the story is compelling. But I had trouble accepting a hick detective coming to NYC and navigating it flawlessly to solve a crime, and I'm a little tired of the old "bad guy confessing everything to potential victim" as a way to move the story to conclusion. Everyone (other than Fonda) is either stiff or stereotypical, but again in 1971 this was probably more acceptable, as middle America may not have been aware of what characters from NYC's underbelly of sex and depravity would look like.
All in, I thought it was a good film... I would like to have seen it in 1971 to better appreciate its impact... but Jane is stellar, and carries the film. Rest in Peace, Donald...
Just Between Friends (1986)
Very "TV Movie" for a specific demographic
My wife was talking about this tonight, and that she liked it, so I thought I'd give it a go. Now, I can be down with a good rom-com, so this didn't feel like too much of a reach... turns out it was more than I bargained for. And not really a rom-com at all.
This film has a TV Movie feel to it... a dramatic "chick flick" for a slightly older demographic. In this regard, to that market, the story of close friends who find they are accidentally in love with the same (suddenly deceased) married man and have to process this discovery and their feelings... has a certain appeal. The story is actually well laid out and decently paced, and involves not just three, but four players, each with their own feelings and desires and goals. The inevitable train wreck occurs, and the remaining characters are tasked with picking up the pieces of their shattered lives. What complicates the mix and makes this film endearing is that they are ALL decent people (even the cheater). It's hard for the audience OR each other for that matter... to dislike any of them. Can anyone survive this mess and come out cleanly on the other side? You'll have to watch and find out. And I WOULD recommend this for the 35 to 60 year old female demographic... they will relate and find value, other groups might not engage. So, IF you are a mature woman looking for a spicy little love-quadrangle drama, check this out. You'll like it more than I did.
No Time to Die (2021)
Entertaining and fun!!
I can't believe some people here are panning this movie because elements of it are "too unrealistic." Seriously?? When ISN'T a Bond movie "unrealistic?" Part of the allure of these films is the fantasy and escapism... if you're looking for pure reality, you shouldn't be banking on Bond films to give them to you.
This one was hugely entertaining and a fitting "end" to the Bond saga as we know it. The action (as always) is nonstop, and the world (as always) is in imminent peril, relying on 007 to step up and deliver. And "deliver" is what this movie does! Chases and drama, fabulous settings, beautiful women, and crazy gadget weaponry, all hallmarks of the Bond series. And tongue-in-cheek fun tossed in... another staple of Bond productions.
Did it run long? Yeah, they often do. Was it absurd at times? Of course it was. Can anyone other than Bond shoot and hit anything? Thankfully no. In the end, this was another hugely entertaining installment in the series, and isn't that why we watch movies? To be entertained? Solid movie, start to finish! And to you, Daniel Craig... thank you for your service! You've been great... 1and 1A with Sean Connery for the best Bond ever.
Sugar (2008)
An enjoyable non-typical film centered around baseball
This is a very sharp and socially significant movie that revolves around a gifted young pitcher from the Dominican Republic, his life, his dreams, and his integration into American culture. It doesn't show the glamour side of American sports, it shows the struggles, the friendships, the anxiety, and the pressure (either organizational or self-imposed) of trying to work through the minor leagues and find success as a pro athlete, far from home and family. It is deeply human, and shows the underbelly of baseball, the small A-ball cities, the rules, the fierce competition, the slumps and injuries, and how one young man, alone in a foreign place, learns to adapt, deal with adversity, fail, and pick himself up to pursue a dream.
Only about 5% of "kids" drafted by MLB teams ever reach the highest level and play every night on your TVs for teams you know and root for. This is the story of the other 95%, who work hard for dreams that aren't always fulfilled. It is a brilliant look at Latino prospects acclimating in an unfamiliar world, edging toward goals, and is honest and genuine and real. Whether you love baseball or not, it's a worthwhile watch, and a very well-done feature film. I very much enjoyed it... whether it ends the way we want to imagine or not. Give it a go. It's a home run.
The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent (2022)
What's not to like?? So much fun...
Seriously. It's Nic Cage playing Nick Cage doing all sorts of Nicholas Cage stuff from Nicholas Cage movies... AND it features Nicolas Kim Coppola playing Nicky, a young Nic Cage (very "Wild at Heart") hanging out with Nick Cage (unsurprisingly played BY Nicholas Cage!). And Pedro Pascal is in it, playing a Nic Cage fanboy, who might or might not be an International gun smuggling kidnapper.
(I actually think I got that first part exactly right!). This movie was fun... the situation was ridiculous, but the film is smart and funny, with lots of Nicholas Cage references, some cool action scenes, a hysterical on-screen bromance, and some sappy family stuff, because as they say in the movie, you gotta have "something for everyone!"
I loved it!!
The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956)
Yikes! A "not very good" Hitchcock film....
I wouldn't say terrible," but you can see it from here. Maybe I expected too much, having seen so many of Hitch's gems... this was certainly not one of them.
The plot is basically dopey, and riddled with "what were they thinking?" moments. Stewart and Day don't mesh well at all... he comes across as a loud and annoying American no matter where he is in the film, and she seems woefully out of place in a "thriller" that fails to thrill. And two midwestern tourists, on their own, trying to solve and prevent an international incident while trying to find their kidnapped child with no police help... just seemed absurd. At no point did they go to an American Embassy? How could they leave Morocco without their child? How did Ben know his wife went to Albert Hall? Could a whistling kid really be heard two flights about a crowded ballroom? Could the master plan really be for an assassin to kill a man from 100 yards away with a 1940s pistol? Did the assassination mastermind really get away scot-free? Can you really just pick up a phone and dial an Embassy and get a Prime Minister in 30 seconds? Did they really need that song sung ad nauseum? Or need 2 hours for this movie? Yeesh.
Almost nothing here was good... most was merely passable, like Hitch phoned this in. I love his work and respect him more than you can imagine... but this was not a very good movie. Watch "North by Northwest" instead. You'll thank me.
Punch-Drunk Love (2002)
Baffled by the great reviews..
I mean the Washington Post gave this "100!" Really?? That's essentially a "perfect" movie. I USE critics and IMDB ratings to help me choose my nightly movie, and this was bizarrely overrated in my opinion. Seems like another example of critics swooning over the director and the star... if this had been made by a nobody, would it get a 78 average from the "experts?" Very doubtful.
The ONLY likable character in the whole film is Lena (Emily Watson), and there is exactly zero explanation as to what she sees in Sandler's pathetic Barry, who is depicted as painfully shy and socially inept, yet prone to excessively violent outbursts for almost no reason. She's sees all this and inexplicably stays. The only other sub-plot (the porn call) is stupid and does little to advance the story... or maybe it IS the story. That's how empty this film felt... I'm not even sure WHAT it was about. Pudding and dreams? Barry's "growth" due to the empowerment of love?? Nothing at all, just a slice of life? Who knows?
I like Anderson's films and kept waiting for this to get better, but it didn't. Thankfully short, but still a waste of time. I was very underwhelmed.
Rope (1948)
The murder isn't the mystery... the fun is just getting started...
Brilliant long shots and fabulous camera angles highlight this tale of a thrill-kill run amok. Following a senseless "just to prove a point" murder, two killers, so flush with their belief that their crime is "perfect," host a dinner party for the father and girlfriend of the deceased, and set up the buffet on the chest containing his lifeless body! Wickedly outrageous, and as the night progresses, hints are spilled with brandy and champagne, and suspicions are aroused in a guest who probably shouldn't have been invited.
The cast is stellar... James Stewart, John Dall, and Farley Granger are exquisite as intellectual elites who posit that thinning the herd by murdering society's "lessers," is a good thing... and all the while, they're feasting off what is essentially a coffin while they wonder why David is late to the party. Deliciously Hitchcockian, one of his best... The banter is excellent, the cinematography is absolutely top shelf, and the mystery becomes not the murder, but whether or not they will drive off into the night, scot-free. You'll have to watch it yourself to see the shocking ending. Two thumbs way up from me... a true classic!
To Kill a Mockingbird (1962)
I wish I'd seen this in 1962...
...because while race and racism is still disgustingly prevalent in 2024 America, I'd imagine the overall feel and reaction to this film would have been dramatically different when it debuted 62 years ago. There have been so many films about the disgrace of American racism, many more topical today, that I feel this classic has been a bit lost in the shuffle and, as such, hasn't aged as well as it should've. Likewise there have been so many courtroom epics with more passion and drama... the court scenes here feel so very tame and unrealistic today.
Gregory Peck is stellar, while the rest of the cast lags somewhat. The understated themes of raising our children right is timeless and explored here. I have more than a few misgivings, which I attribute to the times we NOW live in... 6 and 10 year olds unchecked, running around town, a young girl walking a mentally unbalanced murderer home, a jury convicting a man who obviously couldn't have committed a crime that wasn't even proven to have existed, a bad guy who is so obvious that he might as well wear a sign identifying him... and a relatively docile, wrongly-convicted man suddenly tries to run to freedom and is killed... and nobody questions it? Again, seen through 2024 eyes, so much is semi-preposterous.
I read the book in the 70s, and it had a huge impact on me. The movie, seen today, didn't register as powerfully. As I said in my title line "I wish I'd seen this in 1962." While still a "classic," it felt dated and out of step. Everyone should watch it, but I feel not everyone's going to appreciate it like they did in '62.
From Time to Time (2009)
A very proper English ghost story
First and foremost, this is a quaint little film that is appropriate for all ages. I can definitely see this as a movie that grandparents could share with their grandkids, with enough elements to keep them all entertained... fairy tale themes abound, mingled in with ghosts and mysteries, a treasure hunt, good guys and bad guys, and life lessons about decency, love and family. In truth, it is a nice movie for many demographics... there's no sex or nudity or foul language at all... just a sweet little English story that takes place in the kind of setting that young and old may well be captivated by... nicely handled by a stellar cast.
That said, it wasn't totally (excuse the pun) "my cup of tea." I found it formulaic and a bit slow at times. The characters were charming, but very predictable, and the endings, of both the mystery and the movie, were obvious all along. But just because it wasn't ideal for me doesn't mean it's not perfect for you. It's quite nice in many ways, and if British period pieces are in your wheelhouse, you may very well enjoy and appreciate it. I was a 6.5 bumped up to a 7 for it's unique take on ghost stories, and for the lovely performances turned in by all parties.
Happythankyoumoreplease (2010)
Can't explain it. I just liked it.
I had no idea at what this was going to be about. But I thought it was charming and sweet, and I enjoyed it, start to finish. It's a quaint little film with very likable characters with dilemmas and no real answers, and it will likely resonate with a lot of people.
I found each of the vignettes here to be appealing, and the characters to be honest and endearing. And importantly, each story within has a satisfying arc and conclusion... something that doesn't always happen in movies these days. The storylines involving Josh Radner's Sam and Zoe Kazan's Mary Catherine were especially heartfelt, played with just the right amount of humanity and angst. There's a nice amount of smart conversation and also a terrific soundtrack.
I liked it more than the critics and many of my fellow IMDBs... can't explain why... maybe it's because I'm a New Yorker. Thought it was just a well done and thoughtful film... a good date movie if you're looking for one. Check it out.
The History of Time Travel (2014)
Appropriately droll and borderline brilliant
I just finished watching this, and part of me thinks I need to watch it again before I say something here, but against my better judgment, I'm here now.
This story, told in "mockumentary" form is engaging and thought provoking. It is simple and short, well done, and addresses the concept of time travel in simplistic terms with no convoluted explanations involved, just a "buy into it and let the story flow" manner. Presented as a documentary airing on a history channel, it chronicles two men (or is it three?) who successfully invent a machine that allows them to travel in time... or do they? It's clever and stylish, and will ask you to use your brain (and potentially your TV's "rewind" function). I think it's fair to say this is unlike anything you've ever seen before. Pay close attention!
I think it could have benefitted from a longer runtime (it's only 70 minutes) to more deeply explore a few storylines. But that's really my only complaint. Otherwise, it's a nifty low-budget, tongue-in-cheek look at the "hazards" and implications of time travel, told in a unique way, that was a breath of fresh air in the genre. I enjoyed it, and would recommend.
The River Murders (2011)
Believe the reviews. It's not a very good movie
Far more 1s & 2s than 9s and 10s is usually a good indicator... and the 5.2 from IMDBers should've been a tip off. But a friend said "watch this," so I did. It wasn't worth the short runtime.
It starts with an interesting premise and then devolves into stupid, pseudo-religious schlock. (No spoilers). The "twist" is decent, but it's overdone in a "TV movie of the week" manner. The "who" is revealed early, so it's not a typical police procedural... it's the "why" that's the story... and while the "why" may have made for an interesting film, but what we get here really isn't that. They could've done more with it.
In short, there's really "nothing to see here." The dialogue is spotty and average, the acting is mostly uninspired, and the plot has too many holes. I'm left with a "why did they even bother?" vibe, and that's not a good thing. If you're into "deranged guy killing innocent people for a stupid reason" movies, then you might like this. Otherwise, just pass. There are far better things to watch. A 4.5 rounded down because I didn't much care for the "message" this movie tried to impart.
Hit Man (2023)
Absolutely terrific
My title says it all... this is a clever, well-acted, terrific film, and a total surprise because I had exactly zero idea what to expect here. Almost everything you need in a movie is here... sorry, no explosions or gore or massive CGI budget, but most everything else. A great story, super engaging dialogue, characters that are fun and real (even when they're being absurd), a twisted and attractive romance, and a great start-to-finish plot that is both wicked and amusing.
The two leads (Glen Powell and Adria Arjona) generate enough heat and chemistry to light up a city block. They are completely dazzling together, and the ridiculous situation they find themselves in is beautifully choreographed by Richard Linklater, who directs them into and out of moments that'll have you amused and confounded simultaneously.
This is one of the better "new" movies I have seen in a long time, and I have absolutely no problem highly recommending this. I wish Hollywood made more films like this, and I'll be perusing Linklater's catalogue to see what other hidden gems might be in lurking in there. I'm a 9.5, gladly rounding up to a 10... well done, all. Excellent movie!
Unicorn Store (2017)
Ouch. Such a great cast, but somewhat a fail...
The reviews were dicey, but I gave it a shot anyway. I mean c'mon, it has Brie Larson and Samuel L Jackson... and I love them both! It also has the incredible Bradley Whitfield and the always wonderful Joan Cusack. Surely this would be better than the reviews... but sadly, it's really not.
Larson and Jackson are great, and the soundtrack is also very appealing... but the story is weak, and the acting can't compensate. Brie plays a lovely and naive woman-child whose life-fails lead her to a dazzling salesman (Jackson) who offers to make her lifelong dream of a best-friend unicorn actually come true. There's some creative banter, a few moments of wide-eyed wonder from Brie, and a fair amount of awkwardness here, but not enough to rescue what is basically a paper thin plot. Sorry. I'm sure there is a demographic, a following, that will love this, but I'm not in it. I rounded up from a 5.5 to a 6 because Larson and Jackson are... well Larson and Jackson... but it's missing the fantasy to call this a "fantasy," and there's not enough humor or drama to shine as either. Not the worst thing I've seen this week, but not something I would tell people they "gotta see." Mostly average.
tick, tick...BOOM! (2021)
Close to brilliant...
I actually saw the National Tour of "tick, tick...BOOM!" In 2003, many years after seeing RENT. I recall leaving the theater in Philly impressed, but not sold. I remember calling the show a kind of "RENT light," feeling that it was solid, but lacked the magic that Jonathan Larson would later conjure up when he wrote one of the most defining musicals ever written.
Now, it's a movie, directed by the genius Lin-Manuel Miranda... and it has been lovingly, beautifully, and fully realized. It's still not RENT, but what is? This is a gorgeous film, and a wonderful story, with fantastic acting and singing by Andrew Garfield and a stellar cast. I was going to be a 9 here and not a 10, because it does have a few weaker songs, and I suppose I judge it unfairly against what came next, but it is very much worth watching, and so I rounded up. There are a handful of songs in here that are close to flawless and hold their own against anything in a movie musical made in the last 25 years. So yeah, I'm a 10. It's a beautiful movie, and it stands ably on its own as an amazing work, the product of two Broadway geniuses. If you enjoy musical theater, it's an absolute must-see... and if you loved RENT (as I did) you will enjoy the MANY homages to that work... in this one. Highly recommended.
Cold Copy (2023)
Story wasn't bad, but...
...the characters and acting weren't good
The film delves into to competitive world of journalism, following a (seemingly) sweet and timid grad student as she pursues her dreams, and gets accepted into a class taught by an "alpha dog" of current events news, a forceful anchor of a "Hard Copy" type show. We come to learn that our timid lead is not a shrinking violet at all, but a little cutthroat who will do anything to be seen and heard by her professor. There's the makings of a good story here, and while it is somewhat explored in the 90 minute runtime, it has gaps and holes that make it less than believable.
Neither of the two lead female characters... are terribly appealing, and the actors playing them seemed stiff and fake. Our student (Mia) is portrayed as too fearful to become the wretch she turns into (almost overnight), and the professor/anchor is an almost non-human caricature of vindictive success. 16 year old Igor (Jason Trembley) does better as the subject of Mia's story... I wish they'd have done more with wrapping his storyline... would love to know what happens next for him. We're teased, but then no.
With a tighter story, and better characters, this could've been an improved film. Instead it becomes (pun intended) "nothing to write home about." Meh.
Take Me Home (2011)
Seen it all before... but it works here.
It's a rom-com. We generally know what's coming, so no surprises in that regard. This one is very light on the "rom" and heavier on the "com," which is fine with me. The two leads are married in real life, so they have an undeniable chemistry, which helps move a somewhat silly plot along, and make it both charming and believable.
It's a lower budget film with a cast of mostly nobodies, but it never feels cheap or cheesy. You'll definitely get a "When Harry met Sally" vibe here, which is a good thing. The humor is subtle, with a few laugh out loud moments, and a couple of undeniably preposterous situations, but on the whole, it works fine.
I have it between a 7 and an 8... maybe a 7.5, but I'm rounding up because the production quality is solid, the story is acceptably quirky, and the banter is witty and very human. It's a quick watch with a well-structured beginning, middle, and end, and that doesn't always happen with Indie films. If you like the genre, you'll like this movie. Check it out.
Blue Ruin (2013)
Nothing special... and rather overrated
I was intrigued when one professional reviewer called this "easily the most suspenseful American film of the year." High expectations led to big disappointment, as this "slow burn" film mostly fails to ignite.
If you like smart dialogue, or pretty much ANY dialogue, you're not going to like this movie. There is really VERY little worthwhile conversation, almost no backstory at all, and the film revolves around a bad guy "hero" who mumbles and fumbles his way through a 90 minute slog that dragged for 90% of the time. Even the suspense was muted, and the big finale scene was both obvious and anti-climactic.
Sure, it was low budget, and I generally support these kind of films, but there really wasn't enough here to get excited over. And once again, I find myself baffled by the praise of the critics... this had a cumulative 80+ on MetaCritic, and that's way high for a "thriller" that lacked both thrills and a cohesive plot to get wrapped up in. A 5.5, rounded down, due to the lack of ANY worthwhile dialogue. There are better things to watch.
Maggie Moore(s) (2023)
Good film, far better than the reviews...
Professional "critics" mystify me. I have sat and watched absolute garbage that they've praised to the sky, and been totally enthralled by films they wipe their shoes on. I know it's often political... same with the Oscars, which laud vague artistic efforts and films made by the "elite," and toss good, solid, watchable movies aside with often senseless drivel as their justification.
This is a good movie. It's not "Casablanca," nor is it trying to be. It's clever, borrows from real-life crime, and spins an engaging tale with a logical beginning, middle, and end. It's not really a rom-com, though it nibbles around the edges, and it's not a serious police procedural, although our heroes are small town cops working hard to solve two baffling murders.
What it IS is a darkly comedic, slice of life movie that looks and feels like the Coen Brothers could have done it. (And if they HAD, the professional sycophants would have lauded it). The cast is solid, the direction is clean, the characters are well-formed, and the story is creative and interesting. It's far better than the "43" the "professionals" (-gag-) gave it, and it was an easy and enjoyable watch. I'm a 7.25 rounded up to an 8 because it was unexpectedly good... but what do I know? Unlike the critics, I'm just a movie fan with nobody's rear end to kiss. Check it out.
Trainspotting (1996)
I didn't love it, but I can't deny it's an incredible film
My review title sums this up perfectly. I appreciate this for what it is... a masterful look at heroin abuse, friendship, and desperation in Scotland in the.late 1980s, during the AIDS outbreak. And while it is darkly amusing at times, it is, at its core, a realistic and depressing look at lives being willfully flushed down the toilet due to drugs and a lack of education and opportunity.
It's brilliant and disturbing, upsetting and dazzling, and, like the need for another fix, impossible to resist. All that said, I didn't love it, but I respect every aspect of it, from the writing and Danny Boyle's direction, to the bleak cinematography, to the incredible performances by the actors. If you're looking for a "feel good" film, this probably isn't it... but if you want to see the dark side of heroin addiction and the sordid places it can take you, this is a powerful statement film that will stick with you long after the credits end.
Long Shot (2019)
Mind-numbingly dopey... but also quite funny
Okay, well this is one of those movies that you're kinda gonna have to check your brains at the door... you know, the "seal them in a bag and then you get them back after the concert" kind of thing. Because the plot is dopey and preposterous, and you really won't need them much to enjoy this movie. But it's fine, you CAN really like this movie, without them. I'm being serious. I did.
It's funny. It just is. Almost all the characters are absurd, and the situation is totally implausible... it's just a vehicle for Seth Rogen to be Seth Rogen and do Seth Rogen things. (He seems to get a lot of hate here, and I don't get it. He plays the same character in every movie, probably just himself, and he's quite often funny). He's funny here too, and Charlize Theron, as a love interest (for Seth? Really??!!) is equally funny (and perfect as ever). It just works. Without your brains.
June Diane Raphael (from "Grace and Frankie") is also a delight. We need more of her. And there are a few NSFW moments, so be warned. Leave your outrage about this with your brains. At the door.
So yeah, despite the "dopey" plot, you should check this out anyway. It's a decent watch, and funny... and we all need to laugh.
The Overnight (2015)
Quirky and odd, right to the end...
This is a fascinating premise and film... right up to the end, you're convinced it's about something, then hello!! It's not what you thought, was it? While I was surprised by the ending, in many ways it made sense, and was where the film was taking us all along.
What this really isn't... is a film about sex. It's hanging in the air at every moment, but it's not what it's about. It's about the human condition, our frailties, insecurities, fascinations, and curiosities. How we approach and address our inner thoughts and selves, whether we admit it or not. The misdirection here is critical... the viewers aren't the only ones mistakenly navigating the waters of a bizarre evening... the cast is also treading cautiously, unsure of what to do and where to go next.
That said, it DOES get weird. Throughout, not just at the end... and this is going to cause some viewers discomfort. I had it as a "6.5" but rounded down, not because of where it took us, but because of how circuitously it brought us there (even though I now see it as necessary). It's worth a watch, and the short runtime means you're not committing to a lengthy evening... more a short exploration of people, who we are, and what we might want, if we let ourselves be more open.
Ma Rainey's Black Bottom (2020)
Better acting than story
Ma Rainey is real, her talent and influence are real, and the fact that she made recordings in Chicago in the time period is also real. Much of everything else in here is either fictional or subjective, including the makeup of her band. I realize that "liberties" are often taken with "based on actual story" movies, but it seems like this film stepped way over the lines in order to tell a certain narrative. I don't mind that, but it influences how I view/judge a film.
The acting is incredible... Viola Davis and Chadwick Bozeman are outstanding, as is Glynn Turman (in a lesser role). The cinematography and costumes are spot on, and the film is vibrant and well directed. My only real qualms are with the fictitious story, the seething anger of Bozeman's character (Levee, who didn't exist), and the filmmaker's use of him to drive the narrative of racial hate. I don't doubt that his story is (sadly) a fair representation of this period in America, I just wonder why Levee's tale was so predominantly used here. Was Ma's actual story any less incredible? Her real life exploits and impact are amazing... I guess I'd rather just have seen a more realistic story about HER with less emphasis on fabricated characters and a stuttering nephew.
A 9 for the acting but a 5 for the Hollywood story that left me a little cold. A 7 sounds fair.