The United States vs. Billie Holiday

But the film is a mess. Poorly written, haphazardly directed and edited. I love Billy Holiday and I should have loved this movie. Grateful for Andra Day's performance. It's up there with Frances McDormand's work in Nomadland as a top Oscar contender.

The title is a tip-off that this isn't going to be a general bio-pic. It's a prosecution of a case. Director Lee Daniels has never been accused of being a subtle filmmaker, but here he and writer Suzan-Lori Parks are weilding a mighty gavel. It's a miracle than novice singer turned actress Andra Day still shines.

The basic facts here are indisputable: Billie Holiday was hounded by the government, had a series of bad marriages and died at a tragically young age (44). Still, Daniels' approach of dwelling solely on the abuses of Holiday's life, whether they be legal, physical, sexual or narcotics- related, does a disservice not only to the singer, but to the 'case' he is trying to make. Daniels uses a catalog of tricks which sometimes work - using 16mm and 35mm film for flashbacks (although using digital 'scratches' on the celluloid is a hoary cliche); And some that don't - a long heroin fueled fever dream.

What's missing here is Holiday's artistry. Her inner soul. She had affairs with famous, successful people of both sexes -- but there's no evidence here of why they would be attracted to her. Surely, she had a wit and a charm that goes beyond being an attractive famous chanteuse. Parks' script focuses on the blunt-spoken, yet needy part of her personality, not her passions.

Day does a remarkable job in a blunt, honest way that isn't all actor-ticks. And, unsurprisingly, the singer shines on stage during the performance scenes. It's a breakthrough for her, even if the film around her is in shambles. One is much better off with one of the numerous Documentaries on Holiday.

Lady Day deserves much better than this muddled, often tedious and substantially apocryphal "biopic" from Lee Daniels. In this telling of Billie Holiday's life the song Strange Fruit becomes central to the narrative, with government forces determined to stop her singing the mournful lament, afraid that it will ignite a civil rights movement. At one point she's even dragged from the stage after singing just the first few lines. The problem with all of this is it never happened. Federal Narcotics chief Harry Anslinger apparently claimed in letters that he "asked" holiday not to sing the song, but - even if that's true - that's about as far as it went. Holiday was never dragged off stage for singing the song; in fact, she sang the song in the very concert in which the film depicts this as happening. In any case, the civil rights movement was already a growing force long before Strange Fruit became a popular protest song. As for Billie, she was never especially political and was initially ambivalent about performing Strange Fruit. She was convinced more by the way it would be dramatically staged as a final number than by any notions about the political clout of the lyrics. So to make the song central to her life and have Billie so passionate about performing it any cost is in itself dishonest. But then so much of Daniels' film, from the weird Quentin Crisp-like Reginald Lord Divine character who interviews Billie (he never existed) to the romantic affair with FBI agent Jimmy Fletcher, for which there is zero evidence. At best the film offers brief glimpses into the reality of Billie's life, but they're so swamped with apocrypha that you'll have trouble identifying them. Which makes this a pretty messed up biopic, and an extremely half-assed tribute to the great singer. The only saving grace in all of this is Andra Day, who manages to look and sound like Billie for the most part. But even here there are caveats. Day's performances of Holiday's songs are more impressive as vocal impressions than they are for evoking the emotion and pathos that made Billie legendary. And, sad to say, her rendition of Strange Fruit is oddly stilted, almost bland. Not to mention severely truncated. Never mind that this is the song the entire film revolves around. Strange, indeed.

This movie would make a great triple feature with Ma Rainey's Black Bottom and Judas and the Black Messiah for showcasing racism and injustice systemic and culturally nakedly and honestly. The US vs. Billie Holiday really makes you frustrated in all the right ways and at all the right people but also inspires people like me who didn't know much about this history to learn more and educate oneself since those who don't learn from history...anyway...Andra Day gives an incredible performance and Trevante Rhodes balances the line of someone you want to smack in the face one second and kiss the next. Impeccable gowns and hairstyling add to the glamor and realism of the music being sung so beautifully by her swingin, emotional voice. Day expresses a lot in those eyes tender one minute and giving diva the next. Maybe it's not perfect from a filmmaking point of view but not in any innegligible way and the image of Andra Day screaming with joy and pride in her Golden Globe acceptance speech is enough to make me feel good inside knowing she gave this her all and that her idol would be proud.

Billie Holiday's voice was (and still is) unique. Her music was so sad and daunting, yet so beautiful.

UNFORTUNATELY this movie about her life is lacking brilliance. It is not a bad movie, not at all, but it never delivers any real intense drama. This movie just meanders a bit without ever really shining bright.

I would therefore not recommend this movie. Better put on an old record of Billie Holiday because her voice still is unsurpassed and magnificently chilling and SO gorgeous!

The story: Billie Holiday is a black female blues singer who is targeted by the police for daring to expose racism in her popular songs.