August Wilson is likely one of, if not the most, respected and well-known playwright of the last century. If you don’t know his name, you surely know his masterpiece, “Fences,” or any of his other numerous plays. But three years before that play premiered, a very different work of his debuted; “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom.”
Based on the life of the “mother of the Blues,” the play takes a behind the scenes look at the recording of one of Ma’s albums and the tensions that flare up between her, some of her band members, her manager, and the white recording executives. It’s classic Wilson genius, filled with explosive dialogue and heightened personalities.
For the most part, this film adaptation from director George C. Wolfe (“Nights in Rodanthe,” “The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks”) and writer Ruben Santiago-Hudson (“Lackawanna Blues,” “Their Eyes Were Watching God”) is a faithful recreation of the play. However, there are some changes that dampen the experience slightly, making this a good, but not great, version of an incredible play.
For something so dialogue heavy, it’s imperative that one gets actors who can carry this dialogue and, thankfully, Wolfe and Hudson have a cast of extremely talented people here to carry this work. Each cast member delivers their lines with pure conviction, regardless of their role in the story, and it results in even the smallest of characters standing out.
Colman Domingo (“Selma,” “If Beale Street Could Talk”) is one of those standouts as he plays Cutler, Ma’s guitarist. He’s a gentle but firm soul, clearly the one who’s been with Ma the longest, and he serves as a mitigate between her and everyone else in the film. Jeremy Shamos (“Bad Education,” “The Big Sick”) as Ma’s eager to please everyone manager Irvin is also great. He’s so anxious and tries so hard to make everyone happy without resorting to ridiculous leaps and rarely does he succeed.
Yet, as good as this supporting cast and these standout supporting roles are, nothing compares to the work that Viola Davis (“How to Get Away With Murder,” “Widows”), as Ma, and Chadwick Boseman (“Black Panther,” “Marshall”), as Levee, are doing. They are positively electric, Davis delivering a feisty and nasty role here, teetering between being a talented artist who wants what she deserves and a vengeful diva with expert control. It’s a meaty role that Davis has completely and entirely committed herself to with astounding results.
Boseman is also just as electrifying. In this his unfortunate final role, he’s ended his career with an exclamation point. Levee is the perfect kind of August Wilson character; someone who so clearly deserves the world and yet is shortchanged at nearly every turn, both because of their own ambitions and the cruelty of the world. Its an astonishingly good performance and the perfect way to end a career for such a talented artist.
The few shortcomings that “Black Bottom” has are the unfortunate products of moving a stage play to film and trying to update it without straying too far from the original work. There are times where some of the characters discuss racial injustices that feel too far removed from the era in which the play is set, as if they’re clairvoyant and it brings the reality of the film down as a result. These moments wouldn’t be so glaring if it wasn’t for the fact that this only happens about half the time. You can clearly see the difference between the words written by Wilson and by Hudson. Hudson’s work here isn’t bad, its only when he tries to emulate Wilson’s poignant writing style instead of adapting it do things start to crumble. Luckily, this only happens in a fraction of the film, as glaring as it is.
It also suffers as a film small in scope. Like other play to film adaptations, “Black Bottom” only really takes place in a couple of rooms, and while there is a lot of excellent work done here with costuming and production design, it still feels like it takes place in just two different rooms. However, that production design, costuming, and overall feel of the period is immaculate. Faded paint and the hot Chicago sun create a bubbly and steamy atmosphere that is a treat to watch.
“Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” is a wonderfully constructed film with towering performances shortchanged just a bit by some of its writing and scope. This is an incredibly enjoyable film, not a masterpiece but a really great time. It wouldn’t be as great without Davis and Boseman, but their absences would still leave a very enjoyable film to watch. With them here though, it is a wonderous, if not perfect, tribute to artistry and getting what you deserve. 4/5
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