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Ma Rainey's Black Bottom

Movie
2020
1h 34m
R
English
Drama, Music
User Score: 
7
Critic Score: 
93
Ma Raineys Black Bottom' Poster
Tensions rise when the trailblazing Mother of the Blues and her band gather at a Chicago recording studio in 1927. Adapted from August Wilson's play.
Ma Raineys Black Bottom Poster

Ma Rainey's Black Bottom

R
Movie
2020
1h 34m
English
Drama, Music
Tensions rise when the trailblazing Mother of the Blues and her band gather at a Chicago recording studio in 1927. Adapted from August Wilson's play.
Rating
WATCHMODE
7
IMDB
Ma Rainey's Black Bottom (2020) on IMDb
CRITIC SCORE
93

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USA Streaming Sources
 
Netflix 4k
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Viola Davis
Ma Rainey
Michael Potts
Slow Drag
Jonny Coyne
Sturdyvant
Taylour Paige
Dussie Mae
Dusan Brown
Sylvester
Joshua Harto
Policeman
Quinn VanAntwerp
Band Singer
Chloe Davis
Ma Rainey's Dancer
Mayte Natalio
Ma Rainey's Dancer
LaWanda Hopkins
Ma Rainey's Dancer
Malaiyka Reid
Ma Rainey's Dancer
Antonio Fierro
Laborer (uncredited)
Daniel Johnson
Chicago Worker (uncredited)
Directed By: George C. Wolfe
Written By: Ruben Santiago-Hudson (Screenplay)

Featured Comments/Tips

Jordyep says...
4 years ago
When I found out this was based on a play, things started to fall into place in my mind. The way this was handled (writing/directing) feels heightened, too much so for my taste. At points it actually feels like you’re watching a play fold out. The actors aren’t just acting, they’re giving a **performance**. If that’s your thing, enjoy the movie. If it rings to you as inauthentic (like it does for me), it might not be your thing. Still, it’s too well made, produced and shot to completely trash it. 5/10
Like  -  Dislike  -  Comment  -  301
luizerl says...
4 years ago
Take your attetion with the first scene, each characters has his own characteristics, background, beliefs that conflict with each other character. Chadwick robbes the scene, his character is extremely well written and very well perfomed. Viola Davis is marvelous as aways. But the movie looks more a play - same problem that Fences haved - then a movie, a lot of monologues (that I love) and the whole situation that takes place in one location. To me, one of the best of this year.
Like  -  Dislike  -  Comment  -  200
ILBaRsHaWi19 says...
4 years ago
Chadwick Boseman steals the movie as he's giving a lot of dialogue to shine and Viola Davis was great as usual . I liked the fact that it was filmed in one place which gave the characters enough time to know about them diffrently. Even the story is not that special the performances were good
Like  -  Dislike  -  Comment  -  100
Astrid Galactic says...
4 years ago
This movie had more to do with Ma's band philosophizing than Ma Rainey herself. Lots of okay scenes making good points, but you don't kick the star of the show out to do so. I was really looking forward to seeing this movie but I was very disappointed in the end.
Like  -  Dislike  -  Comment  -  000

Featured User Reviews

AndrewBloom
CONTAINS SPOILERS7/10  4 years ago
[7.2/10] *Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom* explores tons of divisions between folks. Old school vs. new school. Men of faith vs. non-believers. And unsurprisingly, black vs. white. But the deepest divide, or at least the most tragic, comes between artists who know where their power lies and those who don More
Like  -  Dislike  -  Comment  -  100
jx8FuVT
CONTAINS SPOILERS4/10  2 years ago
How disappointing! The acting is good, the music is great (although there is very little of it), and it being stagey wouldn't be an issue... if it weren't so poorly written and reactionary.

Ma is portrayed as a complete diva. She is apparently aware that she is being taken advantage of by her More
Like  -  Dislike  -  Comment  -  000
ArielRodriguez
6/10  4 years ago
One of the vicissitudes that the Covid-19 pandemic brought with it was that the cinema had to reinvent itself, and as part of this reinvention, many filmmakers chose to create films based on plays (because obviously the cost is lower, the locations are few - sometimes only one - and not many actors More
Like  -  Dislike  -  Comment  -  000
Ahmetaslan27
one year ago
**Viola Davis as the Queen of the Blues**

The events of the film take place on the 1st day in the year 1927, and one place is a recording studio for music albums. We start with the preparation of the studio for the blues legend Marini, accompanied by her close entourage, and a team of musicians l More
Like  -  Dislike  -  Comment  -  000

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