Get On Up – Review
The
feature film “Get on Up” is both the title of a popular 1960’s R & B song
as well in large measure the resolving theme of the life of the Godfather of
soul James Brown. And unless you were born just this very moment or you have
been stranded on a remote island for the last 50 years you should know who
James Brown is. If you are still not sure, then you undoubtedly you have heard
his music as it has been sampled numerous times by countless Hip Hop and Pop performers
over the past 2 decades.
“GOU”
is directed by Tate Taylor (The Help), Executive Produced by Rolling Stone Mick
Jagger and stars Chadwick Boseman (“42”). It is essentially a biopic linear
tale about James’s desperate childhood of illiteracy, depressing poverty and the
affecting circumstances of his parents being equally fraught with behavioral dysfunction
to his eventual escape from these mired circumstances ascending to legendary musical
heights garnering national fame, financial success, cultural prominence and social
relevance.
There
is nothing new in “GOU” that was a revelation to me that I hadn’t already heard
or not chronicled in some form before his death in 2006. The central component
of the film makes the concerted effort to thrash out the more intimate details of
the personal relationships in James’s life, especially the two closets friends he
had during his career. One being his Business Manager Ben Bart (Dan Akroyd) and
the other with his very close longtime confidant Bobby Byrd (Nelsan Ellis (aka
“Lafayette” on “HBO “True Blood”).
While
Director Taylor seems to be determined to tell everything that happened to
James he also tries to do it all way too safely; as there were way too many scenes
that felt either rushed or simply shorten if you will, almost skimming right
pass over some real significant events and subjects that could and should have
been probed much further. Taylor also didn’t do the viewing audience many
favors by his many random disjoined and unpredictable flash backs scenes to
James’s formative youth. These flashbacks never seem to offer up anything in the
story’s connectivity, leaving me a bit confused as to what Taylor was really trying
to convey about some pivotal area in James’s life. Finally, Taylor also needlessly
injected very sporadically James Brown voice over scenes where he begins talking
directly to the viewing audience. In my estimation and for all practical
purpose these voice overs offered only some benign conversations about some benign
matters that were very low on the relevance meter to the film’s story itself.
Biopics
are hard to do because they invariable squeeze 75 years’ worth of information into
2 hours and therefore as a film subject they require lots of discipline in
editing and tight story construction. Director Taylor seemed to lack enough discipline
to make “GOU” feel like one intact film. The movie had some editing moments
that felt more like a myriad of “acting pieces” and “scene bits” that were simply
strung together in the effort to tell everything for such a broad life’s story.
But even with these directing technical flaws exposed, the real shining treasure
for me that brought “GOU” across the finish line was the stellar performance by
Chadwick Boseman as James Brown. Boseman is the incarnate of James, literally
channeling every fiber and essence of his being ranging from the body posture,
his speaking voice and the very spirit and persona of the man itself. Boseman
brings an incredible array of acting skills to bare showcasing the young charismatic
James as well as the more reflective aging man.
Fact
is, Boseman is the real reason to watch this film as he gives it his all in
making us recall James Brown in such vivid clarity and rich detail that you are
almost left feeling he is still alive. And along with a revisit of some of James’s
original and great music tracks in tow, Boseman’s mastery of recreating all of
the facial expressions, dance moves, grunts, and even the singer’s sweat, in my
opinion were flawless and should be something worthy of a possible Oscar
Nomination for Boseman as Best Actor
next January 2015.
Overall,
“GOU” is entertaining and holds your attention each minute throughout the 2
hour 10 minute viewing time. But when it’s over you don’t really remember very much
about any particular scene or event in James’s life, you do however remember
the genius of James’s music, performances, legacy and relevance. You also remember
the acting prowess of Chadwick Boseman who brings “GOU” all together to viewing
life and fabulously so.
3 – 1/2 Stars
