Mostly positive reviews for the first cinematic portrayal of the Godfather of Soul
The story of American funk, soul and dance legend James Brown is set to be portrayed on the big screen Brown’s music is some of the most influential in the pop era.
Chadwick Boseman (r) plays musical legend James Brown in Get On Up
So many of his own and his band’s guitar licks, vocal tics and drum breaks have been sampled by hip-hop artists over the last thirty years that to do so now seems like a cliché. So it seems incredible that nobody has ever made a film about him until now. Chadwick Boseman plays James Brown as Get On Up depicts the tough early childhood, imprisonment for armed robbery and subsequent rise to fame of one of the twentieth century’s most enduring musical icons. Boseman is joined on the cast list by Octavia Spencer, Viola Davis and Dan Aykroyd.
So far, the film has received a great deal of compliments. Owen Gleiberman of BBC Worldwide is one of the most generous, saying Get On Up “conducts the crackling electricity of Brown's music with a heat and swagger and verve that rivals the achievement of what Taylor Hackford's Ray brought off 10 years ago.” Peter Travers of Rolling Stone singles out Boseman for particular praise, that he plays the Godfather of Soul “like a man possessed”, while Jen Chaney of the Washington Post praises the musical scenes, correctly pointing out that so much of the success of movie biopics of pop musicians centers around them.
MORE: Chadwick Boseman talks of the challenge of playing James Brown
While Get On Up has received pretty solid reviews thus far, but some have criticised the non-linear narrative for lessening the impact of the film’s story as a whole. Kenneth Turan of the Los Angeles Times thought that, even at 138 minutes, it was “disjointed” and suffered “from having a more ambitious plan than it's got the ability to execute”. Rafer Guzman of Newsday is possibly the most critical of all the detractors, saying “Get On Up turns Brown's life into an even bigger mess.”
Get On Up is in cinemas 1st August.
Phase Three of the Marvel Cinematic Universe prepares to come to a climax as ‘The...
Thurgood Marshall (Chadwick Boseman) is well known for becoming the first African American Supreme Court...
Wakanda is one of Africa's biggest nations, it's still a third world country but it's...
With a massive scale and a digital cast of thousands, this ancient Egyptian romp tries...
After the formulaic thrills of The Winter Soldier and Age of Ultron, Marvel's Avengers were...
The Avengers are suffering from an image crisis. As much good that they do and...
As the world of Marvel super heroes become ever more entwined, Captain America: Civil War...
When Set brutally murderers his brother, Osiris the great deities of ancient Egypt are upset,...
With an appropriately jarring sense of energy, this James Brown biopic acutely captures the Godfather...
The cast and crew of forthcoming James Brown biopic 'Get On Up' talk about the...
Essentially this year's Moneyball, but set in American football rather than baseball, this fast-paced drama...
Since he was a child, he knew he'd become a star. He may not have...
The stars of the upcoming James Brown biopic 'Get On Up', Viola Davis, Nelsan Ellis...
James Brown didn't have the easiest childhood being born to two young parents who were...