After beating Sonny Liston in 1964, Cassius Clay (Eli Goree) meets with Malcolm X (Kingsley Ben-Adir), Sam Cooke (Leslie Odom Jr.) and Jim Brown (Aldis Hodge) to discuss civil rights movement. This fictional account is the directorial debut of Oscar-winning actor Regina King (If Beale Street Could Talk). Written by Kemp Powers, based on his own play.
98%339 reviews
Smoothly shot, with just a smattering of piano music, and very few scenes outside the motel room, the film never quite overcomes its stage origins. But nor does it betray the seriousness of its intent in favour of easy answers. It might not demand a watch, but it certainly deserves one.
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In the context of the last year in American politics, the film has plenty to digest, even though it was written before the era of Black Lives Matter.
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King’s fluid direction of her four actors means the snug setting never feels dramatically constricting, while their jostling performance styles make each combination of voices feels like its own distinct treat.
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As one might expect from a movie based on a play and directed by a famous actor, dialogue and performances are the driving force.
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As much as the film seeks to understand how such major cultural figures navigated a political minefield, it nonetheless never takes its eyes off of its characters as people.
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To some extent, One Night in Miami remains high-quality filmed theater. But the conviction and stirring feeling brought to it elevate the material, making this an auspicious feature debut.
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It’s an immensely watchable evocation of a moment when black America was on the verge of an upheaval that continues to resonate, in 2020 as strongly as ever. It absolutely puts you – to coin a phrase of the time – in the room where it happened.
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One Night in Miami never once feels preachy, or overly speechy. The conversations seem natural, as does the chemistry between these performers.
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King turns One Night in Miami into a real movie, staging it with a flowing visual confidence and vibrant emotional flair that gives it a fly-on-the-wall authenticity.
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One Night in Miami hits so hard because it remains joyfully, often painfully grounded in what makes a person extraordinary, even when the world isn’t ready for them. Here’s hoping this world is ready for what King has to show it.
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Director Regina King's cast delivers some of the best performances of the year, unveiling the hidden pain of public figures. Through a keen focus and confident flow, she unfurls their struggles in a poignant display to show how they live on today.
Full reviewOne Night in Miami is available to stream in New Zealand now on Prime Video.
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