Feel It
Washington Post critic Michael O'Sullivan is calling Darnell Martin's Cadillac Records "a rousing, fast-paced tale, told with a modicum of verve and packed with colorfully flawed, occasionally heroic and even tragic characters. It also feels disappointingly bloated and too fast-paced by half. Cramming in that history doesn't leave much room for -- oh, I don't know -- story.
Kevin Mambo as Jimmy Rogers, Columbus Short as Little Walter and Jeffrey Wright as Muddy Waters
"History is propelled forward by the filmmaker's over-reliance on such now-stale staples of musical biopics as the montage of nightclub marquees, ka-ching-ing cash registers, close-ups zooming in on the names of chart-topping singles and newspaper headlines. It's a breathless approach, leaving little time in this speeding, noisy, overcrowded Cadillac to take in anything other than the milestones that go whizzing past."
How, then, to explain the unqualified rave given to the film by the always observant N.Y. Times critic A.O. Scott? Because Scott seems to be into soul music big-time -- his review suggests it's been been making his spirit soar for decades -- and so he's decided to emphasize what he feels in his heart rather than nit-pick Cadillac Records to death.
Scott is especially appreciative of Jeffrey Wright's portrayal of blues singer and guitarist Muddy Waters. In his various portrayals of famous African-Americans, Wright "directs our attention away from the familiar, public face of the character in question toward a private zone where ambition struggles with anxiety, and where what seems to be at stake is nothing less than the integrity and viability of the self," Scott observes. "And so, in his Muddy Waters, we see pride, ambition and uncertainty cohabiting with musical genius, sexual appetite and stubborn professionalism."
Posted by Jeffrey Wells on December 5, 2008 at 6:54 AM
comment #1
joncro
says ...
Celia Johnson as Muddy Waters - I'd pay to see that.......
Posted by joncro
at December 5, 2008 7:40 AM
comment #2
actionman
says ...
I like A.O. Scott, but he also raved about Four Christmases.
Posted by actionman
at December 5, 2008 7:58 AM
comment #3
BurmaShave
says ...
I'm giving much more hope by Robert Wilonsky, the biggest douchebag in film criticism, hating it so much. I have no problem believing this is a good movie with great performances, which is all RAY and WALK THE LINE were.
Posted by BurmaShave
at December 5, 2008 8:17 AM
comment #4
ImNotPaulAvery
says ...
I'd hardly call Scott's review of Four Christmases a "rave". While he's positive about it, he begins nearly bit of praise with what seems like a warning that its ok, not great! but not terrible!, just decent enough to pass 90 minutes of your day.
Posted by ImNotPaulAvery
at December 5, 2008 9:01 AM
comment #5
Ryansi51
says ...
Love me some Little Walter- he died in a knife fight outside a studio recording session.
unfortunately i don't see the Jonas Brothers meeting a similar end.
Posted by Ryansi51
at December 5, 2008 10:23 AM
comment #6
lipranzer
says ...
There's so much to like in this movie, including Wright's performance as Muddy Waters - and also, Beyonce is actually pretty good as Etta James - but there were some nagging faults with it as well. I wish it had gone deeper into the ambivalence black musicians felt about the fact white kids were the ones who followed them and not black kids. Also, while the movie does capture how the musicians felt towards Chess, and it's nice he isn't the center of the story, his story feels somewhat incomplete. And oh, the timeline! Granted, only hardcore Chuck Berry fans might know "No Particular Place to Go" was a hit for Berry in the 60's, not the 50's, but having the Stones visiting Chicago before Elvis hit it big?
Posted by lipranzer
at December 5, 2008 6:00 PM
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