Get On Up - DVD review

Directed by Tate Taylor, 2014

Universal

Some movie roles must seem like an ultimatum from Mission: Impossible: to play James Brown you will need to master jive patter, violent mood swings, boundless charisma, vocals that range from the heart-stirringly soulful to the furiously feline and dangerously slinky dance moves.

In fact, Chadwick Boseman makes a good fist of it, as does director Tate Taylor.

Like his subject, Taylor isn't afraid of abrupt shifts in rhythm and tone, using non-linear narrative and breaking the fourth wall while following Brown from Southern Baptist beginnings to stardom.

Still, a homogenising biopic patina takes over at times and there is often the feeling that the film is peddling hard just to keep up with its tireless subject.

© The Financial Times Limited 2015. All rights reserved.
FT and Financial Times are trademarks of the Financial Times Ltd.
Not to be redistributed, copied or modified in any way.
Euro2day.gr is solely responsible for providing this translation and the Financial Times Limited does not accept any liability for the accuracy or quality of the translation