Muhammad Ali, Malcolm X, Sam Cooke and Jim Brown gather to discuss their
roles in the cultural movement of 1960s America.
Review by
Musanna Ahmed
Directed by: Regina King
Starring: Kingsley Ben-Addir, Eli Goree, Aldis Hodge, Leslie Odom Jr., Lance
Reddick, Michael Imperioli
After warming up with music videos and television episodes, Emmy and
Oscar-winning actress Regina King returns to the director’s seat
for her feature film debut One Night in Miami, based on
Kemp Powers’ stage play of the same name. The story imagines the
conversations between Jim Brown, Malcolm X, Sam Cooke and Muhammad Ali,
when he was still Cassius Clay, when they gather in a Miami hotel room
following Clay’s victory over Sonny Liston in 1964. They have
wide-ranging conversations about their roles as black men in '60s
America, a turbulent time of cultural upheaval and the pursuit of racial
equality.
The theatrical origins are a little too evident here. King is determined
to realise Powers’ original work in its exact form as much as possible
so, consequently, there’s little space for the camera to manoeuvre
within the four walls of the room and little time to be creative with
the sequencing of events. As a result, much of the film feels like
filmed theatre, a type of cinema that has a much slower rhythm with a
plain visual sense that may not keep one engaged at all times.
However, there are some subtle ways that King keeps her film
aesthetically interesting to the keen observer. One is how she carefully
frames each shot to allow as many combinations of the four icons
together in the same image, effectively using the mirrors in the room
for such a purpose. Secondly, the completely tranquil approach somehow
works to bring things down to Earth - we simply watch these icons shoot
the shit in between their discussions on race, success and America, as
the filmmakers give a wide berth to the grandeur of celebrity.
As well as the important dialogue on American society, the individuals
touch on the big decisions that they would eventually go through with -
Jim Brown’s intention to quit football and start acting, Clay
considering joining the Nation of Islam - and heated discussions such as
Malcolm’s criticism of Cooke performing for a largely white demographic.
We know the film is fictionalised but the idea that these bold
discussions took place in this unadorned space is convincing because of
the film’s unassuming presentation. Furthermore, I appreciate the
filmmakers for taking this approach rather than trying to fit the
narrative around some famous existing pictures, such as the one of Clay
and Cooke in the studio together or Malcolm taking pictures of them on
his personal camera.
Anyway, the stylistic choices aren’t really why one should see this
film. One Night in Miami is entirely about the actors and,
well, the casting department deserves the highest accolades. It’s a
phenomenal ensemble composed of Kingsley Ben-Adir (The OA, Peaky Blinders) as Malcolm X, Eli Goree (Ballers, The 100) as Cassius Clay, Aldis Hodge (Clemency, Underground) as Jim Brown, and Leslie Odom Jr. (Aaron Burr in 'Hamilton')
as Sam Cooke. The quartet must have spent many months preparing because
firstly, their chemistry is incredible, and secondly, they all evidence
strong independent study of their real-life counterparts, inserting fine
flourishes into their performances even when they’re just lingering in
the background.
Odom Jr. has some legitimate pipes on him in the handful of singing
scenes and Goree perfectly replicates the boxing style of the Louisville
Lip for the opening sequence of the film when Clay fights Liston. I love
how Hodge moulds his voice to portray Jim Brown, and Ben-Adir is utterly
sensational in a role already perfected by Denzel Washington. If I was
to gamble on Oscar nominations, Ben-Adir for Best Supporting Actor would
be my biggest wager. There are also some smaller, enjoyable performances
from The Wire’s Lance Reddick as Brother Kareem, Malcolm X’s security detail,
and The Sopranos’ Michael Imperioli as boxing trainer Angelo Dundee. No
matter how plainly theatrical a film may be, the actors can make or
break it, and here they’re nothing short of extraordinary.
One Night in Miami is on Amazon Prime
Video from January 15th.