Get on Up (2014)

Memorable, crazy movie

Excellent but underrated film

Great movie! If you want to be entertained and have a few good laughs, see this movie. The music is also very good,

The movie really just wants to entertain people.

Before watching this I had no idea who James Brown was. I heard the name before but could not identify which songs were his (Although I have heard a lot of his songs on commercials and sampled in newer songs).This man was crazy as hell. I enjoyed the movie.James Brown seemed like a jerk.Its cool mick jagger was in the movie and he produced it.Good acting. Good music.

Chadwick Boseman might not be perfect but hell, James Brown was unique so who could ever recapture his essence? His dance moves are on the button and only once does his strut look more like Prince than JB. The storyline may not be as fleshed out as 'Ray' (one or two clichés) but the soundtrack is great and the classic concerts faithfully recreated. We learn (like we didn't already know) that JB was a flawed human being but we see the torments of his early life so when he abuses his partners and cheats his musicians we are almost (I say almost) sympathetic. In the end he was one of the world's greatest showmen and band leaders, but finally pushed his band to breaking point and I applaud them for going solo (and making some stupendous records without him in the various JBs/Maceo/Wesley incarnations)

I recently saw the Jimi Hendrix biopic, "All Is By My Side", which was only about a small part of his life so not sure you can really call it a complete biographical portrait- plus, none of his music was included, which made the film feel a little short-changed. With "Get On Up", a biopic about legend James Brown, you don't have either of those problems. Mick Jagger produced and Tate Taylor ("The Help") directed this biopic with Chadwick Boseman ("42") in the lead role. Like with Andre Benjamin as Hendrix, Boseman doesn't really look like JB, but he does a great job capturing his essence, and certainly has his moves down. And like with another biopic "Ray", "Get On Up" does not sugar-coat Brown, but portrays him in a not-so-great light a lot of the time. One of my fav. Brit actors, Lennie James, is good as JB's father, which sheds some light on his violent tendencies, as well as Viola Davis as Susie Brown, JB's mother. Brandon Mychal Smith was also good as Little Richard, who had a small but key role in mentoring Brown in his early success. And Dan Aykroyd was awesome as Ben Bart, the President of Universal Attractions Agency who eventually becomes JB's business partner. Fred Melamed had the funniest scene in the film when he gets up and physically demonstrates why Brown should stay out of business decision-making! LMFAO!! Craig Robinson, Allison Janney and Oscar winner Octavia Spencer also star.

This is the story masterfully told about the Man known as the hardest working man in show business, and be was.that and.so much more.As someone who didn't always "get" James Brown, I became a believer later in my life, and after this magnificent biopic . Agreed, it gets a tad confusing with the way it jumps back and forth, but it works like a soulful mosaic that weaves a tale that is truly the story of f the American dream. A black child who came into the world almost unwanted and jailed for a pretty crime with hard time still managed to rise above it all and became a music and entertainment legendNot all is sweetness and light with the person of James Brown, but then no one is. Regardless of all the rough edges and the sometimes coldness and ruthlessness of the Man, there is no denying the power of the legend.Other reviews called this cliché' but they are wrong. This is the way a great biopic is done. One said that breaking the fourth wall works against it, but again, not so. The very subtlety of a glance here and there packs power. Unlike The Jersey Boys, it never looks like a play on film or ever amateurish.The performances of Chadwick Bozeman and all the others shows what truly great acting is. The hard work makes it all seem seamless. I could point out individual performers in this cinematic masterpiece, but I don't think I could type that long so I hope not to lessen the contributions of any of the other exceptional acting talents here.Both Octavia Spencer and Viola Davis show exactly why they are always Oscar worthy.I just loved it, and am now a bigger James Brown fan then ever before.I must lastly say that I am glad that Boston was given (correctly) the credit for being the city in an historic moment following the assassination of. Dr. Martin Luther King when the Godfather of Soul quelled what could have been a race riot. Other films credited other cities and that was taking artistic license too far for me.Also, credit must be given to Dan Ackroyd and Mick Jagger for their participation in this great tribute.Not a perfect film, but a total joy!