Director George C. Wolfe sets his sights during a single day’s recording session in Chicago, as a young trumpet player (Chadwick Boseman) sneakily attempts to modernize the blues music of his boss, singer extraordinaire Ma Rainey (Viola Davis), much to her dismissal. And yet, should he be trusted? Is he in it for his own gain of fame? Those are the questions being asked in “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom.”

Earlier in the week, we had first reactions to Netflix’s upcoming awards season contender “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom,” based on August Wilson’s play, and, suffice to say, the film features Oscar-worthy performances from Viola Davis and, most intriguingly, the late Chadwick Boseman.