From the opening
sequence that has Chadwick Boseman in make-up as an aged James Brown pulling a
shotgun on the employees of his car dealership for using his personal restroom,
it is quite clear that Get on Up is
determined not to be your typical straightforward biopic. From winks and nods
to the camera from the protagonist to a narrative that jumps back and forth in
time as a means of maintaining high octane storytelling fitting the subject, this
is a movie set out to capture the essence of James Brown over aspects of
realism. Just the same, Boseman’s incredible performance is so frighteningly
accurate that the film remains grounded despite all of the filmmaker bells and
whistles and shortcomings in storytelling.
The screenplay from
Jez and John-Henry Butterworth (Edge of Tomorrow) jumps around from various
life events of James Brown, beginning with the early abandonment by his mother
and a life of crime that eventually led him to jail. There is also a great deal
left out, and some of the more unsavory facts are removed to give the character
a chance at winning over the audience in typical biopic structure. With four
failed marriages (only two of which are represented in the film), romantic love
cannot carry the central theme of the film like many other biopics (Creation, Walk the Line, The Iron Lady).
This leaves the love of a friendship that Brown had with fellow musician, Bobby
Byrd (Nelson Ellis), though he spends most of the film’s run time being abused
and underappreciated.
The drama of
Brown’s elevation to fame and the subsequent neglect of those around him is
predictable and sanitized beyond effectiveness, but all is forgiven when
Boseman takes the stage as the “hardest working man in show business.” This
performance paired with director Tate Taylor’s ability to retain an element of
fun throughout the film creates a mood that is as infectious and energetic as
Brown’s persona, despite whatever storytelling shortcomings there are. Even
with a solid supporting cast, it is Boseman that will stay in the memory after
watching this film.
The Blu-ray
combo pack comes with a DVD and Digital HD copy of the film, along with some
exclusive special features. These extras include two featurettes about Brown,
along with some great additional footage. Along with the obligatory deleted
scenes, there are full and extended song performances to highlight the strength
of this film even further. The other special features, also included on the
DVD, include a commentary track with Taylor
Entertainment Value:
8/10
Quality of
Filmmaking: 7.5/10
Historical
Significance: 7/10
Special Features: 8/10
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