Ma Rainey's Black Bottom (2020)

[Eric Atreides]

Discuss! Still miss you Chadwick.

[filmlover]

This was great. As with Fences (the previous August Wilson adaptation starring Viola Davis), you can clearly tell that this originated as a play, but this does a better job of expanding the material for a cinematic format than most stage-to-screen adaptations do. Davis is as excellent as she always is, but this is definitely Chadwick Boseman's movie in what serves as a very fitting swan song for an unforgettable, sadly brief career full of strong performances. Knowing what he was going through while making it makes Levee even more heartbreaking. He will be very much missed. It's certainly timely and packs a punch that will stick with you long after its quick running time of around 90 minutes is over. A-