Rustin

2023
PG-13
1h 46m

IMDb RATING

6.5/10

13K

YOUR RATING

Gay civil rights activist Bayard Rustin organized the 1963 March on Washington.

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Docudrama Political Drama Biography Drama History

Activist Bayard Rustin faces racism and homophobia as he helps change the course of Civil Rights history by orchestrating the 1963 March on Washington.Activist Bayard Rustin faces racism and homophobia as he helps change the course of Civil Rights history by orchestrating the 1963 March on Washington.Activist Bayard Rustin faces racism and homophobia as he helps change the course of Civil Rights history by orchestrating the 1963 March on Washington.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

6.5/10

13K

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Nominated for 1 Oscar
- 13 wins & 66 nominations total

Trivia
One of the producing partners for this movie is Higher Ground Productions, the banner under which former president Barack and former first lady Michelle Obama have produced several Netflix projects. While Obama was president of the United States, he posthumously awarded Bayard Rustin the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian honor. At the November 20, 2013, White House ceremony, President Obama presented Rustin's award to Walter Naegle, Rustin's surviving longtime romantic partner.

Goofs
Several times, there is a reference to the subway in DC. The subway system there wasn't built until 1976.

Quotes
Bayard Rustin: On the day that I was born black, I was also born a homosexual. They either believe in freedom and justice for all, or they do not.

Connections
Featured in CBS News Sunday Morning with Jane Pauley: Episode #45.56 (2023)

Soundtracks
Shotgun
Written by Junior Walker (as Autry DeWalt)
Performed by Jr. Walker and the All Stars (as Junior Walker and the Allstars)
Courtesy of Motown/Universal

User reviews65

Review

Featured review

7/10

Incredible person, conventional biopic

Rustin is another extremely conventional biopic about a person who was anything but that. It remains really good thanks to a central performance more than capable of single-handedly carrying the film and the fact that its story, even when told conventionally, is incredibly powerful.

Shining a spotlight on someone who did the extraordinary without being remembered like his peers, Colman Domingo delivers a perfect performance that's endlessly charming. Dustin Lance Black and Julian Breece create a screenplay that gives Domingo plenty of speeches which he performs in a way that never feels showy, always heartfelt and real.

The best aspect of George C. Wolfe's direction is the pacing. It moves fast without ever feeling rushed and is always further ahead than it seems. Branford Marsalis' jazz heavy score really works, reflecting the chaos of trying to arrange a march of this scale as well as the way all the leaders bounce off each other.