Get on Up
Universal Pictures
Rated PG-13 for sexual content, drug use, some strong language and violent situations.
Running time: 138 minutes.
Three stars out of four.
Anyone who knows me well knows of my deep love for the criminally underrated “Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story.” We quote lines and sing songs from it around the house all the time.
The 2007 Jake Kasdan-directed, Judd Apatow-produced comedy, starring John C. Reilly as a rock star who alternately functions as a Johnny Cash/Bob Dylan/Jim Morrison type, is just dead-on in parodying the many cliches of the musical biopic: the humble beginnings, the rise to stardom, the style changes, the substance abuse, the domestic troubles, the traumatic fall and the eventual redemption. And of course, we couldn’t possibly capture the passage of time without abundant use of the montage.
“Get on Up,” the James Brown story, knows that you’re familiar with all this and tries to circumvent these conventions in clever ways. For the most part, it succeeds and even thrives, thanks to an electrifying performance from Chadwick Boseman as Brown. In case you weren’t aware, Boseman is a superstar — great-looking and charismatic as hell, with both depth and range. Last year, he starred as Jackie Robinson in the earnest and well-made biopic “42.” Now, he’s been tasked with embodying The Godfather of Soul. No pressure. Yet he has risen to both challenges beautifully.
Boseman just completely seizes the opportunity to play this larger-than-life figure. He’s got the moves, the attitude, the inflection. He’s lip-synching all those classic hits, from “I Got You (I Feel Good)” to “Papa’s Got a Brand New Bag” to the title track — but his performance is so convincing, he makes you forget that pretty quickly. (Costume designer Sharen Davis, a two-time Oscar nominee for “Ray” and “Dreamgirls,” excels at dressing this kind of flashy figure over time and expertly attires Boseman in Brown’s signature finery.) And director Tate Taylor knows well enough to let these performances run a little long and let us bask in the exuberance of Brown’s showmanship. That’s just one of the ways in which “Get on Up” does everything right that the recent Four Seasons biopic, “Jersey Boys,” did wrong, from the fourth-wall breaking to the old-man makeup.
Taylor, director and co-writer of the Oscar-winning 2011 drama “The Help,” takes more chances here than he did with that previous film, at least in terms of structure. Yes, he begins toward the end of Brown’s life and then works his way back from the beginning, like so many films of this sort tend to do. But then he plays with time within that flashback; working from a script by Jez and John-Henry Butterworth, he hops around between Brown’s childhood and young adulthood, and the way he returns to earlier points in life to provide context supplies a surprising amount of poignancy and insight.
Many moments in “Get in Up” are traumatic, especially in the depiction of the poverty, abuse and abandonment Brown suffered a a child in rural Georgia. The film doesn’t shy away from the smacks he endured from his father (Lennie James) or the way his mother (Viola Davis) left the family, only to pretend she didn’t recognize young James on the street once she’d turned to a life of prostitution. Davis, who gave a quietly forceful performance for Taylor in “The Help,” also has some of the most stirring moments here in a much smaller role. But once he moves in with his no-nonsense Aunt Honey (Octavia Spencer, an Oscar-winner for “The Help”) and begins luring randy soldiers into her brothel for pocket change, his personality starts shining through and his love of music begins to flourish.
From here, “Get on Up” hits the notes you expect it will in telling Brown’s story: the a-ha moment during a gospel song at church; the formation of his first group, The Famous Flames (where he’d connect with lifelong friend and put-upon partner Bobby Byrd, played by an excellent Nelsan Ellis); the creation of his trademark hairdo; the first wife and child; the first recording session; upstaging the Rolling Stones on the “T.A.M.I. Show”; performing at the Apollo Theater; the second wife (Jill Scott) and more children; the infighting with band members (including Craig Robinson as saxophonist Maceo Parker); and the sad, drug-addled messiness of his later years. (Brown died in 2006 at age 73.)
“Get on Up” sanitizes things somewhat, alluding to substance abuse and tax evasion but only fleetingly, but it does not sugarcoat the fact that Brown could be an arrogant bastard. He’s dismissive and cold (and even physically violent himself in one harrowing scene with his second wife) but never less than fascinating to watch. In Boseman’s hands — and his feet, and his entire body, for that matter — he demands and earns our attention. We may not walk away totally satisfied despite the two-hour-plus running time, but damned if we’re not massively entertained.
I couldn’t have said it better myself. I love the film and Boseman is absolutely BRILLIANT in it.
I was entertained, couldn’t get enough of Chadwich Boseman performance, his brilliancy, his body, the way he was dressed , his charisma, the dance moves. The movie made laugh, and cried, tears came to my eyes, the flashback of the war. This movie will always stay in my memory. This is my second time seeing it, and I’ll see it again, and again.
This role would have chewed up and spit out most actors. Boseman nails it from the opening scenes, letting you relax and enjoy the ride. What icon can he tackle next? Amazing.
If this was a review of Boseman himself, I say he did a wonderful job. It would take a lot of effort and skill for anyone to even begin to portray James Brown. However…. if this is a review of the movie, then there is something lacking. I think the review above is exactly what the average young/distant viewer would see. However, if you grew up with James Brown, you would know that there were several MAIN cultural and other points that the movie did not portray that are very important to many….1) James Brown was a philanthropist in may ways and that was not emphasized (why not show the benefit concert overseas?), ; and he gave several interviews about his views that could have been emphasized; 2) his HUGE impact on the African American psyche and self-awareness, from hairstyles to self-respect, was only lightly touch on and 3) James Brown’s showmanship and style were portrayed from a superficial point of view. A distinct feature of a James Brown concert was to see his SHINY shoes work their magic. No self-respecting artist of his ilk would show up without mirror-shined shoes! The emphasis he placed on his impeccable dress, glitz and glamour (jewelry) and his showmanship (dancing – lots of different dances), were just not there. His music was always well put together, but so was his personal demeanor and style. James Brown had his shortcomings, but he had “SOUL and was Superbad”. Didn’t get that feeling here. Good attempt and I respect that someone undertook to give respect to this music giant/genius, but maybe one day someone will fully “get on up” and “Get It” regarding James Brown.
I agree with Lady Ann. I too grew up with James Brown and also felt that something was missing. I was a 12 year old little Black girl in an all white school in Boston the night I watched James Brown save our city from rioting. I remember him saying “Black is not a color, It’s an attitude.” I remember that trip to Viet Nam, because my older brother was there. He told us about the visit in a letter that came months later on that blue airmail stationery we searched for every day until he returned safely home. I remember my Dad bringing home that Look magazine with James on the cover and the question “Is this the Most Important Black Man in America?” And when I saw it, fear hit me. OMG, they will kill him, I thought. But, Mr. Brown just pushed on, and on.
Yeah, the things that were missing were the deep feelings; the pride, the awe, yes even the fear for him, that Mr. Brown evoked in a generation. But how could any film capture what James Brown meant to young Blacks who grew up during his reign. You might as well try to capture lightening in a bottle.
But Get On Up was a good try!
This was my first time watching this movie, and all I have to say is that I LOVED IT! Chadwick Boseman did a wonderful job playing the role of James Brown. This is one movie that I will look forward to watching again!