User reviews

James Brown, a musical legend whose funk and soul spread from city to city over decades. With movies looking for anything to make a story about, these days, it was only a matter of time before the Godfather of Soul was chosen. Yet despite his musical influence, could the directors make a film that would do justice to him, or like other tributes fall short and are nothing more than a bore. Going in for my third movie this weekend, I'm here to share my thoughts about Get On Up, titled after one of my favorite songs.

After seeing Four Seasons, I worried that this movie would be another drawn out drama with only tidbits of music here and there. Yet the directing team decided to actually bring the music to the front and give the audience the music they knew and loved. Get On Up plays a plethora of songs from toe tapping Get On Up to the soulful Please, each timed in the story to mimic the emotions at hand. While some of the songs are only segments, the movie gives you enough of a show to satisfy the funk within you. The numbers are well designed, with Chadwick Boseman bringing some impressively choreographed moves, including the famous split that will have guys cringing. One feels like they are in a constant, at home with the crowd as the cameras circle around the bandstand. What's also nice is that the songs are spread throughout the movie, and one doesn't have to wait to long before another song is blasting through the speakers. However, this also leads to a little problem, as so many songs leads to a messy story that is fractured, sporadic, and sometimes confusing to follow.

This leads me to the next part, the story. Like many movies about musical icons the story is predictable mess, again showing traumatic backstories and showing their rise to fame. However, Get On Up diverges from the typical linear presentation and decides to jump around Brown's life. In the beginning, it is confusing to follow, because the order doesn't make sense, nor is it easy to find the relevancy at the time. As the movie continues, you get an idea of what the director is trying to do, using the scenes as an illustration of his thoughts at the time, the primal drive to his actions. It's cool, but again confusing as you try to pick up what is going on at the times. Some of the flashbacks are also awkwardly timed and sometimes seem to are left untied as the movie continues. At times I asked, "What was the point of that scene?" only to get an answer an hour down the line. It's diverse yes, but the approach needs to be ironed out a little more for this reviewer to get the most out of it. Unfortunately, this movie's plot is still similar to all band stories, in the fact that there is an inevitable rise and fall that we will see them go through.

Despite the order of the scenes though, Get On Up has some impressive production behind the movie. As I already mentioned, the music scenes are the most entertaining of the bunch, but the drama surrounding it is well designed. Plenty of my fellow audience members commented on how well they captured the decade, designing the various cast in the costumes of the era. Backstage hassles, luxurious hotels, and studios were all crafted into smoke filled wonders, and you feel drawn in to Brown's life. What was also nice to see was the lack of using a grey filter, a very popular filter at the moment, to make the already dismal world even more depressing. Instead, the world is colorful and vibrant, much like the music.

Finally the acting. Boseman steals the show, managing to bring a lot of energy and fun into the enigmatic Brown. His raspy voice sounds much like the voice in the singing, though it is not an exact match, I think he did nice on the vocals and delivery. He is funny, and seems to be a natural at playing the self-involved performer, because he didn't seem to try too hard. Boseman captures the emotional spectrum of Brown brilliantly in this movie and next to the music, is the biggest highlight of the film. To counter the selfishness of Brown is his friend Bobby Byrd played by Nelsan Ellis who also does a great job. Although his character takes a backseat through most of the film, and only speaks at key points, Ellis does a lot with his limited lines. And just like Boseman, Ellis can bust a move, though his pipes are drowned out in the numbers. As for the rest of the cast, the iconic Dan Aykroyd plays the same arrogant business man he always does, though with a bit of a softer side when it comes to James. Viola Davis brings the same passion to her role, though like Ellis is limited to the amount of time on screen. Octavia Spencer brings her sass back to scene and has some guiding insight, but does take a back seat to Boseman as well.

Overall Get On Up is a visit to the past of powerful music. Fans will travel back in time with Brown's hits, and the beat will have you tapping your toes. Yet the predictable drama, the dark and depressing mood, and the unique presentation had me feeling the movie lasted a little too long, especially at the slow parts. Recommended audience members are big James Brown fans, or those looking to take older audience members to a movie. Otherwise, skip this film and wait for it to come to your home entertainment set up. My scores for this flick are:

Biography/Drama/Music: 7.5 Movie Overall: 6

I know folks have been talking about a James Brown biopic for years and I secretly hoped that it would not come to pass. I feared that it would be butchered in an attempt to "butts in the seats". I know folks need to make money but don't kill something wonderful in the process. This movie was WAY better than I had hoped. Kudos to Mick Jagger and a standing ovation for Mr. Chadwick Boseman.

I did not see "42" but the brotha knocked this one clean out of the park. Loved seeing Voila Davis, Octavia Spencer and my girl Jill Scott as well. Of course, the music was amazing! I couldn't get over how Boseman captured James Brown's pattern of speech, walk, dance moves, etc. This performance was electric. Now I have to go read, "The One" to find out how much was fact and how much was fiction.

If you have any interest whatsoever in JB music, catch this one!

I feel like there really was an interesting film somewhere in here, somewhere buried deep inside here though. The performances here are solid, if not a little too over-the-top that venture on caricatures from the supporting roles. The lead performance, though, really is fantastic, and it's such a shame that the film drags him down so much. The editing here is pretty atrocious, although much of it could be attributed to the screenplay's problems and wanting to go through his whole life in little segments that really feel way too erratic. The set deigns are good as is the music segments, but James deserved a much better film, and the lead as well.

"You can't make everybody happy and still stay on top." What do you get when you take a young black man growing up in the segregated south abandoned by his mother and raised by his grandmother in a brothel add in a desire to succeed at all costs and toss in more soul and funk than you can handle. The answer…you get the Godfather of Soul…James Brown. I love true story movies and ones that I know a little about are my favorite. Like most people my age my first introduction to James Brown was in Rocky 4. I have liked his music but knew very little about his life. I can't speak to how accurate the movie is but what I can say is the Chadwick Boseman did an amazing job. The best part of the music bio-pics hasn't been the actual movie itself but the acting. Jamie Foxx, Joaquin Phoenix and now Chadwick Boseman. They all inhabit the characters and that is the most exciting and interesting aspect of the movie. You feel like your watching the actual events and not a recreation. Overall, an OK movie that James Brown fans will love but the reason to watch is for Boseman's portrayal. I give this a B.

Two viewings in three days, to fully appreciate the magnificent achievement that's on screen. Not one extraneous word, scene, shot or sequence. The whole is as tight as James Brown's hits - or his pants.

The underlying construction of these snapshots of James Brown's life is flawless. Far from being haphazard or out-of-sequence for mere "effect," this non- linear storytelling technique has rarely been used with greater impact. Thankfully, Tate Tayler, Mick Jagger, the other producers and writers, decided AGAINST the boring born-in-a-shack and then this happened, and next that happened, and finally he died structure.

Result? The film has unexpected rhythms that never let go and build to the astonishing, electrifying re-creation of Brown's Paris concert that - even on second viewing - had me jumping out of my seat, fist-pumping the air and screaming, "YES!"

I wasn't alone.

Chadwick Boseman may be the black male Meryl Streep. His technical achievements alone are remarkable: Brown's moves, speech rhythms and timbre - but mainly his lip-syncing to Brown's vocals: flawless!

Even in the final moments, as the aged Brown silences his band, then begins the haunting "Try Me" a capella - in a closeup so tight you practically see Boseman's tonsils, his mouth, tongue placement, breathing and facial emotions are so perfectly and intensely aligned with Brown's voice you'd swear Boseman were doing his own signing.

But Boseman is equally true portraying Brown at any age, any stage, from any distance. You can't fake that level of acting proficiency. Whether he wins best actor, he is certain to (deservedly) be nominated.

Boseman'surrounded by an equally perfect cast, not one of whom rings false: ultimately a tribute to the director - stunningly supported by the script, cinematography and editing.

By comparison, Clint Eastwood's "Jersey Boys" looks exactly like what it is: a tired, clichéd jukebox Broadway musical with great old safe, whitebread hits (distinguished mainly by Frankie Valli's falsetto) and nothing else to write home about.

James Brown, on the other hand, was always in your face. So were (are) Mick Jagger and the Stones. And so, rightly, is "Get On Up" as a rousing cinematic experience that has to be seen to be believed.

An eye opener for me. James Brown was one of the great innovators and leaders in American music and yet for many people he is a total unknown. Watching the movie one finds that his influence was immense on many of the musicians that followed him in all the many forms American music has evolved over the time, from rhythm and blues to rock and roll. It is fascinating look at the times from the post World War 2 period through the turmoil of the Civil Rights era. It is also a revelation about the music and the man. Amazing performance by Chadwick Boseman. The contrast between his portrayal of Jackie Robinson in 42 and this shows a great strength in acting ability. It is a truly Oscar worthy performance in and of itself. Hats off to Mick Jagger for producing this movie.

Chadwick Boseman is James Brown as he recreates his evolution as a performer in exhaustive dimension and magnitude. The raw and charismatic excitement of Brown's presence are all here. This shows dedication and natural ability as Boseman reminds us of a heritage that music cannot deny and a story that needs to be told again and again as Brown's influence continues to mesmerize us when we hear him. The entire cast were soulful and talented. Viola Davis was very moving as Brown's mother who had abandoned him as a young child and we sense the deep sorrow and loss that Brown must have endured and helps us understand his determination and inner fire as he himself catches hold of his spiritual connection to source and allows his musical genius to take hold of him and us. The words and messages in the songs that Brown wrote may at times seem simplistic but true as he sings them with such knowing, a man who has experienced life in all its dimensions.

The movie starts by jumping around James Brown (Chadwick Boseman)'s life. As a boy, his mother ran off and his father is abusive. He's also a handful. He gets imprisoned for stealing a suit. Bobby Byrd (Nelsan Ellis) meets him while performing a gospel in prison. Bobby helps him get out of prison. They become The Famous Flames after jumping up on stage while Little Richard is on break.

Much of the praise centers on Chadwick Boseman's performance. He does a nice performance in all aspects of the character. It's not exactly perfect mimicry. It's more about the spirit of the performance. There is a power about James Brown that isn't exactly at the same level. The plot is basic modern biopic structure. James Brown is simply a womanizing driven pre-destine persona that is build by the troubles in his life. I would have liked a more complex character with more imaginative originality. The best drama centers around the relationship between James Brown and Bobby Byrd. Of course, there is the great music. That is a given for a James Brown biopic.

I remember when I first herd rumors about this movie, and Spike Lee's Involvement with it. He wanted Wesley Snipes to be The hardest working man in showbiz and I thought, perfect. Chadwick Boseman had some big shoes to fill, not only in my perception of Snipes but being James Brown himself. Lucky for Chadwick, Tate Taylor was backing him up.

The director made a well crafted biopic about James Brown. Choosing to format the story in a more nonlinear fashion, which was brilliant. Sometimes movies based on real people tend to get dull when they hit a point in their lives when nothing is really going on. Taylor fixed it by not telling the story of James Brown from beginning to end.

The movie goes over all the highlights of James Brown's career. From playing Boston after Martian Luther king was shot to his infamous car chase with the state troopers. In-between it tells the story of James Brown's youth before he even got into music.

The musical part I found interesting, as it showcases what made Mr. Brown's sound so unique and what was going through his head when he was making music.

It's strange that Chadwick Boseman is making a career out of playing famous trail blazers, doing James Brown so soon after playing Jackie Robinson in 42. He does do a better job in this film than he did in 42. Watching him perform as James Brown was entertaining.

So despite falling into some clichés you see with biopic about musicians (like that scene in the beginning of the movie when an old icon reflects on his past) the movie did have it's own unique style too it similar to Mr. Brown himself, and though Chadwick's performance was bold genuine, I'm still thinking what Wesley Snipes could have done with the film.

Super Glossy and Glossing Over most Things, this Biopic of the "Godfather of Soul", James Brown, is a Hit and Miss Missed Opportunity Packaged and Paraded out as another Tame African-American "Success" Story.

The Movie's Groove comes from the Good Interpretation of the Soul Singer (by Chadwick Boseman). Mr. Brown, who came from the Dirt Poor South and His Style became Infectious to White-Bread Teen-America, as it Crossed Over from the Soul and R&B to the Pop Charts bringing a Unique Sound and a Dynamic Stage Presence.

But the Movie is a Suffering. It Strains to be "acceptable" with all aspects of the Icon's Personality. His Struggles with Ego, Women, Money, and Drugs are Presented in a "People Magazine" Coating of Gloss without any Deep Consideration just Mention.

The Music is Interesting for Newbies to Explore and Fans to Revisit, and the Onstage Mr. Brown is a Believable Recreation. But the Director is frequently Inconsistent with Awkward Time-Shifting, Fourth Wall Breaking, and a Desire to make it all so Palatable. Truth Is, James Brown, the Man, was Hardly Likable Like this Treatment.

He was Raw and Routinely Rowdy and when the Movie Ventures into the Violence or the Flamboyant Ego, or the Tyranny Towards His Band-Mates it Never Penetrates it just Cuddles Uncomfortably.

The Signature On Stage Slow Exit and Return Donning and Removing His Cape Endlessly while Singing His First and Fan Favorite Hit "Please, Please, Please" is presented so Quick and Thrown Away, it becomes a Glaring Gap in the Understanding of its Power and Newness.

The Opening "Shotgun to the Ceiling" Scene is so Cringe Worthy it is Embarrassing, much like the Ending "Police Chase". In Fact, These Bookends are So Bad it is a Wonder that the rest of the Movie Holds Up as Well as it Does.

Overall, Not Awful, but Nothing Approaching the "Say it loud, I'm Black and I'm proud" Feel the Film should Have Felt. As is, it Feels Ironically, Not Fully, but Frequently, Soul Less.

Get On Up

The best thing about a movie based on your life is that you get to see how you die.

Regrettably, the person in this biography is already dead.

Raised in a troubled home, James Brown (Chadwick Boseman) found a way out through music.

From impersonating Little Richard to singing lead for The Famous Flames to eventually helming his own group, James establishes himself not only as a vocal powerhouse but also an influential voice in the Black community.

Behind closed doors, however, he's a controlling wife-beater prone to erratic mood swings.

But his abuse of his wife and his band-mates never stops him from producing hits.

Backed by Boseman's breakthrough performance, James' prolific catalogue and a spirited script, Get On Up does an exemplary job of capturing the turbulent genius of James Brown.

Besides, how can you stay mad at a man who does the splits after he backhands you?

Green Light

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This film is long overdue, although it seemed to me that there was so much more content excluded from the storyline. If a film maker chooses to focus on the artistry and creativity that came forth from an individual then it is best not to delve too deeply into the demons, which for James Brown (Chadwick Boseman) were much bigger than portrayed in this film. I wasn't a fan of the style of filmmaking applied to this tale, I would have preferred a more linear approach to the historical events that shaped Mr. Brown's personality. Starting a story with some event that takes place at the end is not that unusual, but there was so much jumping back and forth from childhood to young adult to the 'Godfather of Soul' that it was hard to connect to the story initially. Then there were the soliloquies, I didn't quite fathom why they were needed since they really did not add much to the storytelling other than try to place the audience inside of James' head. This story of the lifelong friendship of James and Bobby Byrd (Nelsan Ellis) was interesting and engaging, but nothing about this film was more entertaining than the music. I tried to be a good moviegoer so I didn't song along aloud, but it was almost impossible to just sit without moving to Caldonia and Get on Up. I couldn't help but reminisce as Please, Please, Please and This is a Man's World permeated the crowded theater. And yes, I fought back the tears during Try Me. The story did include a pivotal encounter with Little Richard (Brandon Smith) and the events that led to Bootsy Collins becoming a band member, but there were other musical icons that touched his life that were not mentioned. I guess the movie would have been too long to cover everyone. Mr. Boseman did a fine job of mimicking the enigmatic dance moves of Mr. Brown and his lip-syncing was palpable, but I just wasn't fully convinced with the vocal recreation. James Brown had a distinctive style of speech that few have been able to capture. Eddie Murphy did it with his comic genius on SNL with Hot tub, but he too may have fallen short if he was expected to maintain the sometimes indistinguishable speak throughout a feature film. I enjoyed this film, I saw it with my mother who is 74 and she loved it. The first concert that I ever attended was a James Brown concert. You don't know at the time that when you're just out for some entertainment, you're actually in the presence of greatness and that you are a part of historic events.

'GET ON UP': Three and a Half Stars (Out of Five)

Musical biopic about the life of James Brown. The film stars Chadwick Boseman as Brown (he also played Jackie Robinson, in the 2013 baseball drama flick '42') and it also costars Nelsan Ellis, Dan Aykroyd, Viola Davis, Octavia Spencer, Jill Scott and Craig Robinson. It was written by Steven Baigelman and Jez and John-Henry Butterworth and directed by Tate Taylor (who also wrote and directed 'THE HELP'; which also costarred Davis, Spencer and Ellis). The movie was also co-produced by another legendary musician; Mick Jagger (who's played by Nick Eversman, briefly, in the film). I think it's a well-intentioned movie, and really well acted, but it's also not without it's flaws (some pretty noticeable ones).

The film begins, and ends, in 1993; at a show James Brown (Boseman) performed at, in front of a very large and sold-out crowd (of course). It cuts to several flashbacks, exploring Brown's life; from his poor childhood through his rise to music superstardom (and beyond). The story focuses on his relationships with his best friend, and musical partner, Bobby Byrd (Nelsan), his manager Ben Bart (Aykroyd) and his family. It shows examples of his inspirational highs, as well as his abusive, and self-absorbed, lows. It also features multiple, energetic, musical numbers throughout; Boseman did all of his own dancing and some of his own singing.

The movie features some pretty impressive performances (especially by Boseman, who's Oscar worthy in it) and it's also decently directed. It's informative (for the uneducated, at least) and inspirational, at times, as well. The film's one main flaw though, is that it tries to cram too much story into one movie; like almost all biopics do. A lot of the characters, and important elements of the film, seem underdeveloped; as a result. The movie does have a lot of great moments though; especially if you're a fan of James Brown, or music in general.

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I loved the sheer energy and dedicated portrayal that Chadwick Boseworth was able to channel from the late Great Godfather of Soul. From the groovy tunes, to the steps but, most importantly for me the voice. Hands down he captured Mr. BROWNS vocals eerily similar to the point of feeling as if the man's spirit was in the theater with you. Yes, we see a small snippet of him as a flawed man and father. We look at his poverty stricken past and what it was like to grow up with extreme segregation and racism. I was able to pity him, love him, want him,hate him,worship him and be awed by him in the small allotted time that I was given. Sometimes the story skips between decades and you never get a full scope of this personal life but you do get a revelation of the genius that he was during a time where being black and about your business, taking no prisoners was not highly thought of or widely accepted.

James Brown was a unique musician. He was the Godfather of Soul and inspired many musicians. He had hits like "Get Up Offa That Thing" and "Papa's Got a Brand New Bag." Tate Taylor (who did a wonderful job adapting "The Help") takes on Brown's story in "Get On Up" and tries to cram almost all of Brown's life story in a little over 2 hours. Taylor tries to make the film as bold and sporadic as Brown was by jumping around in time and breaking the fourth wall, but I don't think it worked.

In the first 15 minutes, we jump around to 3 different time periods, but it doesn't feel like it has much purpose for the juxtaposition of these time lines. We have to follow all these different story lines that don't always connect. A character says he's leaving Brown in one scene and by the next scene, the character is with Brown again like nothing happened. The lack of chronological flow makes it harder to appreciate what Brown did for his time, like the concert after Martin Luther King, Jr.'s death. It can be confusing and I think it could have stronger moments if it was done chronologically. The film didn't hook me within the first half hour and all the jumping around in time made the film feel never ending.

The breaking of the fourth wall isn't used consistently and well enough to make it useful. It took a long time for the film to establish that breaking the fourth wall was going to be apart of the film. I think it's better when a film starts with breaking the fourth wall instead of waiting 20 minutes to introduce it. It seemed like Taylor was trying to be like Martin Scorsese's "The Wolf of Wall Street" or Woody Allen's "Annie Hall," but I don't think it worked as well with "Get On Up." I admire how the film was trying to break the music biopic formula. However, I don't think it did it well.

"Get On Up" does have interesting juxtapositions when it merges Brown's older life with his younger self, but Brown is the only one we get to focus on and learn anything about. There is a large cast that surrounds him with great actors like Viola Davis and Octavia Spencer. These actors do the best they can, but the film doesn't give them enough time and they feel flat and one-dimensional. It's hard to connect with any of the supporting characters and Brown is a narcissistic jerk that you don't really want to connect with. Chadwick Boseman does a really good job showing all of Brown's charms and flaws, but everything around his performance feels weak.

Taylor's "Get On Up" tries to be a lot of different things, but it doesn't juggle them well. Brown went through so much in his life that it may have been better to focus on one of these important moments than to throw them all together. What we get is a slow moving and messy film that doesn't always add up to what it could have been. The film ends strongly with a montage that sums up Brown well and a song, but the two hours we go through to get there doesn't feel worth it.

While it is in no way a perfect film, GET ON UP succeeds largely due to Chadwick Boseman's transcendent performance as the "hardest working man in show business," James Brown. Among the positive elements (Chadwick Boseman aside), I liked the non-linear approach to the story which differentiated it from a lot of the other biopics that I've seen. I thought it was fairly creative to have the story jump around in a way that suggests a stream-of-consciousness approach to recounting one's life. Each significant event triggers other memories, and despite how disorienting it is at first, by the end I was totally used to it.

There were also some other interesting choices made, like having the young actor portraying James Brown as a child replace Chadwick Boseman in a pivotal moment late in the film for a couple of shots. And of course, Chadwick Boseman completely immersed himself in the role, to the point that I often forgot I was watching an actor instead of James Brown himself. Of course, they used James Brown's real voice instead of having Boseman sing, but the way in which he transformed himself and the physicality he brought to the role was just amazing. Another interesting choice was having Boseman break the fourth wall occasionally to narrate parts of his own story and give his perspective on different events.

That being said, not everything was as good as it could have been. Despite Boseman's awesome performance, at times the film felt like more of a greatest hits compilation than a straightforward story, the non-linear aspect aside. It also glossed over some important aspects of the character of James Brown. There was only one scene in which any domestic violence was hinted at, when there was undoubtedly a lot more. I'm not saying that there should have been a lot, but it would have been more honest to address this. I also feel like the relationship with his absentee parents wasn't addressed as fully as it could have been, considering how it affected the man he became. Still, one advantage of the non-linear structure was the placement of a scene with his mother that occurs earlier in his career, but his placed towards the end of the film for emotional impact. A little manipulative? Maybe, but I don't mind being emotionally jerked around by a movie once in a while.

All things considered, the filmmakers did a lot to make this stand out from all of the other biopics out there, even if it does treat its subject with kid gloves and goes on a little longer than I would have liked. Still, Chadwick Boseman's performance alone is enough to recommend this film, and there's so much great music in it that it's hard not to like.