Get on Up
Dir: Tate Taylor
2014
*****
James Brown lead a colourful life to say the least and it is hard to think of another musician who developed as many styles as he did which changed the music business forever. He is a legend. The problem with being a legend though is that you're generally not allowed to live to see your motion picture biopics. For good reason, lawsuits aside, you'll never really make the said subject happy because you'll never really be able to capture exactly how it was and if said subject is happy, then the chances are the biopic isn't 100% truthful. James Brown's history isn't all peaches and cream, Tate Taylor couldn't ever avoid this and doesn't, quite the opposite, he actually leads the film with Brown's infamous Shotgun incident in 1988 and hits all the myths and scandals head on to brilliant effect. There is so much to cover of Brown's life, it is inevitable that certain events are left out and adjusted slightly but Taylor has pretty much everything covered and tells the story in a non-liner way that is a welcome change to the classic biopic format and is more effective in my opinion in showing the audience the sort of man Brown was, wonderful but not without his faults. Taylor explores Brown's painful relationships with his parents and shows what effect this has on his own marriages in later life in a tasteful and powerful manner. His close relationship and conversations with manager Ben Bart is key to the film and explains where many of his ideas come from, Ben Bart played lovingly by Dan Aykroyd, a fan and friend of Brown in real life (see them together in brilliant Blues Brothers if you haven't already). The exploration of Brown's relationship with Bobby Byrd is at the heart of the film and finally gives the man the recognition he deserves without sugarcoating the friendship. Visually, the film is as alive and vibrant as one of Brown's performances, the editing is absolutely perfect, the chapters working astonishingly well. The supporting cast are amazing, Aykroyd may not look like Bart but he played him right, Nelsan Ellis is a future star, his portrayal of Byrd is dignified and distinguished. Viola Davis and Octavia Spencer play Brown's Mother and Auntie respectively, to powerful effect and Brandon Mycahal Smith's fleeting appearance as Little Richard is worth seeing the film for alone. However, it is Chadwick Boseman's portrayal as the man himself that impresses the most. It is one of the best performances of all time and that is no exaggeration. I don't take that much notice of the big award ceremonies but Get On Up has been criminally overlooked, it could have easily won and at least been nominated for Best Actor, Best Supporting Actress, Best Music, Best Editing, Best Director and Best Picture. It is an extraordinary film that deserves far more credit than it has thus far received.