The follow-up to director Tate Taylor’s incredibly popular The Help (2011), Get On Up chronicles the life of the ‘Godfather of Soul’, James Brown. The insane happenings of Brown’s life make for fascinating watching on their own, and Chadwick Boseman is fantastic in the role of Brown, a difficult undertaking as the film spans so much of his life.
The film is a little disorienting at first, as it chooses to jump backwards and forwards through Brown’s life rather than moving chronologically. But once you get used to the pace, and to Boseman’s drawling accent, it’s a fascinating watch.
For the most part the film uses actual voice recordings of Brown’s performances, and it’s nice to know you’re hearing that authentic raw talent from the man himself. One of the strengths of Boseman’s performance, and of his voice, is that you simply don’t notice any transition between Brown’s singing voice and his own. It’s also worth mentioning that he has Brown’s hectic dancing down pat, an unworldly feat in anyone’s reckoning.
The supporting cast is incredible, with performances from Viola Davis, Octavia Spencer and Dan Aykroyd bringing real weight, even with limited screen time. There are cameos from Jill Scott, Aloe Blacc and Craig Robinson, and it’s fantastic to see Phyllis Montana LeBlanc getting a small role, after effortlessly shining through in every single season of Treme.
The real standout is Nelsan Ellis, who brings calm and subtlety to his performance as Brown’s offsider and man-behind-the-man Bobby Byrd. Ellis anchors the film, and brings balance to Boseman’s performance, much as Byrd did for Brown in real life. Honourable mention to Brandon Smith for his incredible, fleeting performance as Little Richard, and also to Thomas Newman for once again creating an ideal soundtrack.
4/5 stars
Get On Up opens in cinemas on Thursday September 25.
