Review : Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (2020)
For all of the ups and downs that came with 2020, one of the biggest impacts felt was the passing of Chadwick Boseman. His illness (due to complications from colon cancer) was one of the most tightly guarded secrets in Hollywood, which made his passing drop like a bomb for both fans and collaborators alike. Initially, announcements about his involvement in the MCU and the Black Panther franchise were the main talking points, but attention quickly shifted to the posthumous releases slated for 2020 that would symbol the end of his brief but impactful legacy. Da 5 Bloods was a powerful performance, and one that visually presented his suffering from the disease in hindsight, but with its release, one film remained before Boseman’s run would eventually end : Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom.
Ma Rainey (Viola Davis) and her band are scheduled for a recording session in 1920′s Chicago. The session, run by Ma’s manager Irving (Jeremy Shamos) and recording studio owner Mel (Jonny Coyne), promises to be a tense one from the start : not only is Ma running late, but tensions are brewing between the members of her band. Band leader and trombonist/guitarist Cutler (Colman Domingo) is ready to work, along with double bass player Slow Drag (Michael Potts) and pianist Toledo (Glynn Truman), but the spirited young trumpeter Levee (Chadwick Boseman) complicates matters by not only pressing for his arrangements to be recorded (in hopes of locking in a deal to record songs with his own band), but his youthful energy flies in the face of the remaining older members of the band. Upon Ma’s arrival, the already tense situation grows as Sylvester (Dusan Brown), her young, stutter-laden nephew, is given a key speaking role on the record, and her young girlfriend Dussie Mae (Taylour Page) stirs up the emotions of Levee. With money and reputation on the line, all parties involved attempt to find ways to circumvent the rising tensions in hopes of committing Ma Rainey’s magic to record.
The blues has a rich history of pain, and Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom goes all in on exploring art as an escape from a less than desirable reality, as well as exploring how the talented (or, sometimes, the desperate) turn their pain into something beautiful in order to not feel defeated. In rare occasions, disenfranchised African-Americans were able to use fame as a way of taking the power back from those that labelled them as less than human, and Ma Rainey serves as a stark example of this. Sadly, the dynamic of the band stands as a symbol for how the African-American community is often pit against one another, to the point that the inability to work together allows everyone to remain victims of exploitation. Strong philosophical ruminations on life, love, spirituality and the thrill of dangerous foolishness exist in the narrative, with all serving as a hopeful passage to leaving a lasting impression on the world. Despite the story taking place a century ago, it remains a scathing artistic reflection on the condition of living Black in America, and how things have not changed much during our time occupying this land.
The narrative is driven by the tension caused by band power dynamics, the ware between those with talent and those with leverage, and the strife that often comes in tandem with having a creative soul. Levee plays a symbolic tug of war with his bandmates, fully illustrating the eternal struggle between youthful, fearless exuberance and comfortable tradition. All parties involved take part in numerous manipulative power games, be it standard actions like referring to grown men as “boy”, or deeper turbulence, like Ma Rainey’s mixture of a masculine, aggressive nature and primadonna tendencies. Ultimately (and most importantly), the narrative button illustrates the continued practice of commodifying America’s fascination with the Black experience, all the while ignoring the tragedy that created said experience. This slow march towards a crisis of faith is the fuel behind much of the art produced by African-American creators, especially prior to the Jim Crow era, and Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom presents it as plain (but all the while as moving) as it has ever been presented to the masses.
A golden hue is applied to the visuals, as if to lighten up the events we are presented with, or in a bigger sense, add a feeling of nostalgia to a dark time. The make-up and costuming are top notch, be it Levee’s golden shoes, or Ma Rainey’s extravagant dress and silver teeth that drive home her “my way or the highway” antagonist nature. The direction keeps the spirit of the August Wilson play while comfortably applying incredibly intimate and vibrant cinematography, lifting the experience to new levels. The music, of course, is stellar, both in its nature and in the performances by the actors.
Chadwick Boseman infuses so much pain and fearlessness into his incredibly moving, tragically touching performance that I will be surprised if he does not receive posthumous awards for this performance... it’s sad to see any talent pass on, but Boseman is certainly closing the door on his prematurely ended legacy on a supreme high note. Viola Davis is a true force of nature in this film, swaying the tides in her favor with every calculated, piercing look and every stark, commanding line read. Colman Domingo stands as the audience surrogate, helping us navigate the dark and murky waters we find ourselves submerged in. Glynn Turman’s wise, philosophical nature serves as a sort of grounding force for the chaos, with makes his story arc that much more powerful at its point of culmination. Dusan Brown and Taylour Paige bring different hues of tortured souls as they run parallel to the gravity of Davis’s Ma Rainey. Michael Potts, Jeremy Shamos and Jonny Coyne turn in sound supporting performances to help round out the tightly in-sync cast.
Most of the Netflix originals are mediocre at best, but Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom is an achievement that should be mentioned in the same breath as films like The Irishman, Marriage Story and Roma. Films of this level further solidify Netflix as a force to be reckoned with in the film industry, and will likely rack them up awards with each film of this quality made. With the holidays coming up, be sure to find some time to jump into this one... you won’t be sorry for doing so.
