A one, a two, a you know what to do.

Isn’t being back at the cinema just glorious. I don’t release my film reviews in the order I watch them, nor do I write them in that way. So regardless of if it’s been two weeks since cinemas re-opened and I’ve sat on this review for a bit of time, the canon should state that this was my returning film at the very fancy Curzon Victoria. However, unlike my nightmare experience during Mank, this was bliss. I was sat in a nice fancy room all alone. I could make up for the error of a poor seat choice by sitting wherever I wanted (A true rebel) and just relax, same from any noisy snacks or people.

My grand return was to see Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom. Based on a stage play of the same name, the film mostly takes place over an afternoon. Ma Rainey (Viola Davis) is known as the mother of the blues. She’s experienced, successful and a bit of a diva. She knows she has power and something that people want. Therefore, when she arrives to record an album, with the title song being Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, everything needs to be perfect for her. While she provides the vocals, the band are essentially left in the basement to prepare. While three of them are happy to be in the background and get paid, trumpeter Levi (Chadwick Boseman) wants more. He wants to be a star and for the white people who own the recording company to bow down to his every whim. He sees himself as a young visionary of a new era of music. The film is more dialogue driven over the afternoon and a character study than plot-focussed. However, that is no bad thing, as long as the actors and the dialogue are all on point.

As I eluded to earlier, the film is an adaption of a stage play. It certainly feels like one. The scenes are long flowing pages of dialogue in one place. Some of the actions feel like they were made for a stage, but were forgivable. Tonally, the film strikes a precarious balance between being a comedy and a sad deep drama. At times I laughed, then only a minute later I would be sat there deep in thought about what I was watching.

The film was in post-production when Chadwick Boseman sadly passed away earlier this year. Therefore, it was always going to be a film with a tinge of sadness to it as it was his last. I’ll tell you now, that he was phenomenal. It was one of the best acting performances I’ve seen this year, up there with Delroy Lindo for Da 5 Bloods, and will be a strong contender when it comes to the awards season. His character was a laid back individual who believed the world to be at his feet. He would be in command and was about to break through. However, behind this confidence was a sadness and a rage. When you said the wrong thing, he would be raw, honest and emotional. He’s had so much hardship leading him to be the way he is. When Boseman’s character talks about religion and death, knowing his circumstances provide so much authenticity, the lines feel even more powerful. It really was as close to a perfect final performance as he could have given the world.

The story is brilliantly written. There are themes of race and power within a hierarchy. Ma sits at the top, then its the white people, then its the black people. One of the band members says how they need to do their part, a statement which Levi despises. This theme sits all the way through until the end with Levi’s frustrations growing throughout. There are symbols which are powerful and pertain to these themes. Each one of the shoes, the door and other objects say something and will each come to fruition further into the film. I thought it was great and meant that each thread was a big thing to follow. I can’t wait to discuss each part with all of you once you’ve seen it.

The primary score is the jazz music for the album. However, in the longer intense conversations, there isn’t much music, allowing you to almost focus on the dialogue. You know something bad is going to happen. However, each musical moment is full of joy and it is wonderful to watch.

Viola Davis as Ma was also brilliant. I totally forgot I was watching her. I struggle to name many better actresses out there at the moment. I feel so bad that she is a footnote here, because she deserves so much more. She acts like a diva and is strong, but comes from a place where that isn’t the case and is brilliant.

Summary

A fantastic film with a brilliant script full of humour and emotional authenticity, Ma Rainey’s black bottom gives an interesting look into 1930’s American hierarchy with an incredible character study and Chadwick Boseman’s best ever career performance. [Grade: A]

Spoilers below, highlight them to read them.

Spoiler Club I wanted to briefly discuss the ending. At the end of the film, Levi, having had his dreams rejected and been fired has his shoes stepped on, opens the door to a brick wall prison and stabs a bandmate. At first, I was a bit annoyed at this ending. It definitely was a stage play ending, however it totally made sense. The shoes represented the dream and once they had been stepped on, the dream was over and his only illusion was even below that of the band. The door out showed a hopelessness which I respected. Then getting the white band to play his song at the end with no soul was a tidy way to wrap everything up, almost hauntingly. Sure, that bit was a bit predictable, but it rounded off all of the motifs, showing the unclimbable hierarchy Levi was up against. The ending was linked to each symbol and was therefore not out of place. Therefore, I respected it and it hurt. I loved this film.