One Night in Miami
Director: Regina King
Writer: Kemp Powers
Starring: Kingsley Ben-Adir (Ya’ll need to watch The OA. Like Yesterday), Eli Goree, Aldis Hodge, Leslie Odom Jr., Lance Reddick
Reason for watching: Award seasons contender
Number of times I’ve watched it: first time viewing
***
Musicals and plays that get turned into movies are a complicated affair. There’s a difference between the two mediums that really makes a world of difference. While movies are not limited by the camera as said camera can move to different vantage points for different shots or cut back and forth, stage productions are limited to a stationary audience that’s not supposed to move during a show. A movie star has the luxury of repeating a scene to improve performance or try for a different delivery of a line or action, but a show is rehearsed and burned into one’s memory over months of rehearsals and blocking. So when one takes a musical like Les Misérables and converts it a movie, the risk is run of losing the bombastic-ness of some of the songs and their scope on a stage.
But One Night In Miami is not like a big Broadway musical. It’s personal. Ultimately it is about one night in February of 1964 when Malcolm X (Kingsley Ben-Adir), Cassius Clay soon to be Muhammad Ali (Eli Goree), Sam Cooke (Leslie Odom Jr.), and Jim Brown (Aldis Hodge) spent a night in a hotel room together talking about their place in the Civil Rights movement in America. These men argue, laugh, and discuss what they all are doing and what is needed for them to advance the United States of America in the proper social and cultural direction. That story, adapted from Kemp Powers 2013 play of the same name, is timeless. Even better, it requires no specific medium to tell, because important stories can’t be boxed in by a stage, a movie theater screen, or the silver screen.
I have mostly positives for this movie. The performances from our four leads are electric. They each receive their moment to shine in their own unique way. The cinematography keeps us focused on what is most important in each scene. The set design and presence of the 1960s is very prevalent, and that includes the racial tension within the country. We can see how it is affecting each of our leads as well.
It’s a very timely movie, considering what happened at the US capital a few weeks ago. Our country is in a bad place in terms of race relations. We all have to take after what these great leaders of the past did: look inward and see what we can do to affect change in a positive direction. Change needs to happen. But how we make it happen and how strongly we campaign for it is up to us. Make your choice and decide what you are going to do. Please remember folks, love your neighbor as yourself.
8/10
Until I see another one
PS - Is there something Regina King can’t do? Watchmen? Barry Jenkins movies? Directing? What’s next? Dunk on Jarrett Allen?