MOVIE REVIEW: GET ON UP (THE JAMES BROWN STORY). FIRST OFF, I MUST MAKE A CONFESSION. ALTHOUGH I ADMIRE JAMES BROWN AND CONSIDER HIM A MUSICAL GENIUS, I KNOW VIRTUALLY NOTHING OF HIS PERSONAL HISTORY OR HIS PRIVATE LIFE. JUST A FEW BARE FACTS. THEREFORE, THIS REVIEW IS QUITE DIFFERENT THAN IF I HAD SEEN A BIOGRAPHICAL FILM ON THE LIFE OF JOHN LENNON, PAUL MCCARTNEY OR ELVIS PRESLEY. THAT SAID, CHADWICK BOSEMAN (REMEMBER HIM LAST YEAR AS JACKIE ROBINSON IN 42?) DELIVERS A MAGNIFICENT STAR TURN AS THE GODFATHER OF SOUL. BOSEMAN BRILLIANTLY CAPTURES JAMES BROWN, BOTH IN HIS PRIVATE LIFE AND ONSTAGE. PRODUCED BY MICK JAGGER (YES, HE IS ONE OF THE PRODUCERS) THE MOVIE IS FILMED IN PATCHWORK STYLE, SEQUENCES AND SCENES OF BROWNS LIFE ARE INTERSPERSED, OFTEN OUT OF SEQUENCE. THE MOVIE BEGINS WITH A TRULY BIZARRE SCENE OF BROWN TOTING A SHOTGUN AND TERRIFYING A SHAKING WHITE WOMAN BY ASKING HER IF SHE WAS THE ONE WHO DID HER BATHROOM FUNCTIONS IN HIS LAVATORY. (NO KIDDING!) THIS IS PROBABLY THE WORST SCENE IN THE ENTIRE MOVIE AND AFTER I SAW IT, I THOUGHT THE MOVIE WAS GOING TO BE A DOG, A SURE BOMB, BUT NO, THE REVERSE OCCURRED. THE MOVIE IMPROVED, GOT MUCH BETTER. THE BEST SCENE IN THE MOVIE WAS BROWNS 1968 BOSTON GARDENS APPEARANCE AFTER THE ASSASSINATION OF MARTIN LUTHER KING. I DO NOT WANT TO GIVE OUT TOO MANY SPOILERS, BUT THIS SCENE IS EDGY, TENSE AND VERY WELL-FILMED. BROWNS WELL-KNOWN AND SHAMEFUL INSTANCES OF SPOUSAL ABUSE ARE GIVEN A PERFUNCTORY MENTION. HIS EARLY, IMPOVERISHED DAYS ARE COVERED AND PROVIDE US WITH A GLIMPSE INTO THE ROSEBUD THAT MOTIVATED JAMES BROWN INTO THE HEIGHTS OF MUSICAL SUCCESS. THE CONCERT SCENES OF BROWN IN ACTION ARE ALMOST EERILY BRILLIANT. BOSEMAN CAPTURES THE ESSENCE OF JAMES BROWN ALMOST AS IF HE HAD CHANNELED HIM FROM A SEANCE. NELSAN ELLIS PROVIDES A VERY SYMPATHETIC PORTRAYAL OF BROWNS OSTENSIBLE BEST FRIEND. THE FILM PULLS NO PUNCHES IN SHOWING THE EXTREMELY DARK SIDE OF BROWNS JEKYLL/HYDE PERSONALITY. IMHO- CHADWICK BOSEMAN DELIVERS AN OSCAR-NOMINATION WORTHY PERFORMANCE. HE DELIGHTFULLY CHEWS UP THE SCENERY IN HIS PORTRAYAL IN AN ALMOST CARTOON-LIKE FASHION. BUT THEN, JAMES BROWN ACTUALLY WAS A BIT OF A CARICATURE, MUCH LIKE ELVIS OR MICK JAGGER HIMSELF. THIS FILM IS DEFINITELY A THUMBS UP AND IS WELL WORTH SEEING.
Posted on: Sat, 02 Aug 2014 16:36:13 +0000
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