Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (2020)

Director: George C. Wolfe

Starring: Viola Davis, Chadwick Boseman, Glynn Turman

Tensions rise when trailblazing blues singer Ma Rainey and her band gather at a recording studio in Chicago in 1927.

The 2021 Oscars certainly showcased quite a few utterly boring 2020 films. ‘Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom’ is another big yawn of a movie.

Watching the film, I thought it should rather have been a stage play, and as it turns out doing research on the film revealed it is in fact based on the 1982 stage play. Not sure whether it made a watchable stage play, but it doesn’t translate all that well to film, resulting in a film that was so boring and pointless, it surely must be one of the most dreadful movie experiences of late.

As the film’s synopsis indicates, it revolves around the recording of Ma Rainey’s song. Viola Davis stars as blues singer Ma Rainey. The ENTIRE film is set in a recording studio during ONE RECORDING SESSION. Yawn, yawn, yawn. There’s talk, conflict, talk, smooth talk, conflict, fighting, talk, talk, talk, talk…. you get the picture.

The reason for most of the conflict is the fact Ma Rainy wants to record her ‘old’ version of the song, while her producer wants her to record a ‘new’ version. The band practiced the new version, but Ma Rainey is stubborn as hell, and even wants her nephew to introduce the song on the album, even though he stutters – and this results in many takes.

The good performances from the small cast does not compensate for this being a dull, boring and annoying movie. I hated it. Every minute.

‘Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom’ received 276 award nominations winning 84 including Oscars for Best Makeup and Hairstyling and Best Costume Design. (Ok, I suppose I could still agree with these Oscars, but so many award nominations for this film?? Critics sure do love their boring movies, don’t they?)

Would I watch it again? No, yawn, no…