The late Chadwick Boseman’s film final will be the Netflix adaptation of August Wilson’s play “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom.” You’d be a silly person not to think that, at least on paper, this has the potential to be a serious awards season contender.
Director George C. Wolfe’s film is about a young trumpet player (Boseman) who is trying to revolutionize the blues music of singer extraordinaire Ma Rainey (Viola Davis). And yet, should he be trusted? Is he in it for his own gain of fame? Those are the questions that seem to be asked ‘Ma Rainey’.
Despite the acting talent in front of the movie, Wolfe is a major question mark, he’s probably best known for “The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks,” but, ok, fine, I’ll be frank, his filmography stinks. He also directed the horrendous “Nights in Rodanthe” (2008) and the equally unwatchable “You’re Not You” (2014). One only hopes that with better source material here, Wilson is a legendary playwright, Wolfe might fare a little better.
“Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” will arrive in select theaters in early December, before arriving on Netflix December 18. I will be watching it tomorrow night. The social media embargo will lift, maybe I’ll write an awards prognostication on it as well later this weekend. Having seen “Mank,” “Ammonite,” “Hillbilly Elegy,” and “The Sound of Metal,” there isn’t much left to be screened before I finalize my ten best films list. I will be watching most of the titles needed in the coming days and those include “News of the World,” “Happiest Season,” “Coming 2 America,” “Midnight Sky,” “Pixar’s Soul” and, hell, maybe I’ll even give “Minari,” and “Tenet” another shot while we’re at it.