One Night in Miami

Movie: One Night in Miami
Nominated for: Actor in a Supporting Role, Original Song, Adapted Screenplay
How I watched: Amazon
When I fell asleep: I think I had a couple of minor dozes
When it had me: Leslie Odom, Jr. singing!
When it lost me: It's all conversation, so much talking
What I have to say: 

Trying to embody larger than life real history makers is always a struggle. I kind of hate biopics because sometimes the focus is more on looking the part that communicating something meaningful. Also, real life doesn't always translate into a solid standalone 90 minute to 2 hour story so it usually just feels clunky to me.

However, this film is a kind of 'what if' scenario that avoids having to adhere strictly to events in a certain order. And these performances were truly brilliant. Eli Goree as Muhammed Ali was amazing. He showed us enough of the showman persona of the man to make us believe the accuracy of his quieter moments, too. Admittedly, I was stunned watching the film, wondering how they got Sam Cooke's voice to come out of Leslie Odom Jr. It looked so real and convincing! Well, that's because it was actually Leslie Odom Jr. singing which makes me so delighted and amazed I can't even tell you! Go watch Leslie Odom Jr. sing Change is Gonna Come from the end of this film. There should be a special Oscar for that performance alone (and I guess there might be).

Historical figures become caricatures; their whole identity as humans boiled down to a single speech or quote or mythical story. It was so refreshing to see these humans in a movie where they are given room to breath. They have doubts, they have senses of humor, they have tempers and close connections. It feels like a luxury to see them 'living' with such fullness.

The real power of the movie for me, comes from witnessing a variety of powerful black Americans who take different actions and have multiple responses to the racist world around them. We see the activism and fight, the personal development, the community building and none of it is depicted as wrong. The characters may argue passionately for one approach or another but we are left feeling that there is no single answer that wins the day and that maybe it really is best to have everyone working toward justice and equality in the way that best suits them as individuals. Allow different ways of making change rather than judge them and pit them against one another. That's beautiful.

This movie originated as a stage play. The upside is a scene that is so sharp and so stark and stunning as the depiction, early in the film, of Jim Brown going to visit an old coach (wow, is it a slap in the face!) The downside is that this film has no action and little movement. It is ALL talking. The talking is great, riveting, important, but damn, movies really benefit from more showing and less telling. Even a movie as good as this.