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Ma Rainey's Black Bottom

2020

George C. Wolfe

Viola Davis, Chadwick Boseman, Glynn Turman, Colman Domingo ...

5.7

3,945

Drama Tensions and temperatures rise over the course of an afternoon recording session in 1920s Chicago as a band of musicians await trailblazing performer, the legendary "Mother of the Blues," Ma Rainey (Academy Award® winner Viola Davis). Late to the session, the fearless, fiery Ma engages in a battle of wills with her white manager and producer over control of her music. As the band waits in the studio's claustrophobic rehearsal room, ... [+]

	Author	Review
United States	Peter Debruge Variety	"Viola Davis and Chadwick Boseman astonish in August Wilson's timelier-than-ever study of Black culture’s influence on popular American music."	POS
United Kingdom	Peter Bradshaw The Guardian	"A ferocious opera of passion and pain (...) This is Boseman’s final performance on screen, and what a glorious performance to go out on (...) Rating: ★★★★ (out of 5)"	POS
United States	David Rooney The Hollywood Reporter	"A uniquely powerful reflection on the struggle for dignity of Black Americans (...) watching actors of this caliber lose themselves in characters of such aching humanity is ample reward"	POS
United Kingdom	Amon Warmann Empire	Boseman and Davis deliver superb performances in this timeless meditation on (...) Yet another fine adaptation of an August Wilson play (...) Rating: ★★★★ (out of 5)"	POS
United States	Michael Phillips Chicago Tribune	"To see Boseman, who died of colorectal cancer in August at age 43, tear into the role of Levee (...) in Netflix’s arresting adaptation of 'Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom'— well, it’s enough to make you cry. And to rejoice."	POS
United Kingdom	Fionnuala Halligan Screendaily	"A dark and seductive story (...) As Ma Rainey, Davis confirms how wide-ranging her talent is"	POS
United States	Odie Henderson rogerebert.com	"A tragic commentary on the realities facing Black musicians of the day (...) Rating: ★★★½ (out of 4)"	POS
United States	Justin Chang Los Angeles Times	"Chadwick Boseman gives his final and finest performance (...) At just over 90 minutes, this “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” feels not just adapted but accelerated, as if it were racing to meet the deadline"	NEU
United States	Leah Greenblatt Entertainment Weekly	"An acting masterclass (...) If Davis hadn't already taken home Oscar gold so recently, she'd almost certainly claim another prize here for the raw transformative verve of her performance"	POS
United States	Brian Truitt USA Today	"Rollicking and heartbreaking in equal measure, the period musical drama “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” plays all the right notes (...) Rating: ★★★½ (out of 4)"	POS
United States	Johnny Oleksinski New York Post	"The style is not unattractive so much as inauthentic (...) The acting transcends that, though, and transports us (...) Rating: ★★★½ (out of 4)"	POS
United States	Eric Kohn IndieWire	"August Wilson's play comes to vivid life in a Netflix adaptation that owes much to its dynamic performers."	POS
United States	Alonso Duralde The Wrap	"A stately jewel box that houses an extraordinary ensemble of performances."	POS
United States	Shannon Miller AV Club	"One final, brilliant showcase for Chadwick Boseman (...) Here, reality and fiction blend in a way that’s nearly impossible to overlook."	POS
United States	Peter Travers ABC News	"Boseman hits the screen with hurricane force (...) A proud achievement for all concerned"	POS

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