by Shane Conto
Have you ever been asked the question “if you could have dinner with any three people ever, who would it be”? I feel like so many of us have put a lot of thought into who we would want to come together and interact with. In a strange way, One Night in Miami actually feels like a cinematic version of this idea. What if Malcolm X, Muhammad Ali, Sam Cooke, and Jim Brown got together and spent one evening in a motel room? Even better…what if you could be a fly on the wall as they do it? That is One Night in Miami in a nutshell.
Thankfully, Regina King’s feature debut as a director really delivers on this idea and makes for a must watch film this awards season.
After years of getting her experience on TV with directorial jobs, what does King bring to the table to deliver such a quality drama with this new Amazon film? One word in particular can certainly describe her efforts…and that is soul. There is a soul deep at the center of this film. There may be larger-than-life people that fill out the cast, but each one of them is presented in a fully human and organic way. You see each of them in their own vulnerable states and King is able to capture those moments with a confident and steady hand. Not once does this film ever feel like it is not comfortable in what it is. Can there be moments that feel a bit staged due to the “stage play” feel of the story? That is certainly true, but King packs plenty of energy into every shot along with getting the best performances out of her cast.
Speak of the cast, will you see a better ensemble of performances in a film in 2020? If you do, that film would have to certainly be close to perfection then. The four actors that star in One Night in Miami deliver career best or defining performances that will be talked about all award season. How hard is it for a single actor to deliver such a memorable performance as a real person with depth and pathos?
How hard would it be for four actors to do the same all together at the forefront of a single film? That is quite challenging.
Kingsley Ben-Adir probably has the most challenging role as Malcolm X as he must balance his public persona and the more intimate person as he interacts with his friends and family. You get the powerful and commandingly stern leader, but you see plenty of cracks and moments of emotional vulnerably, all of which are believable in Ben-Adir’s performance. Muhammad Ali is one of the most charismatic and compelling figures in all of sports history. How can someone truly embody his natural magnetism but not make him feel like a complete caricature? Rising star, Eli Goree, delivers this tough task with poise. Aldis Hodge has had quite the year with a strong supporting role in The Invisible Man and now delivers a commanding performance as NFL legend, Jim Brown. Hodge imbues Brown with the confidence and cool demeanor that is need at the core of the film. Then there is Leslie Odom Jr. as Sam Cooke. Not only does he need to show charisma, vulnerability, and fire throughout the film, but he also needs to sing. Odom Jr delivers an electric performance as he (seemingly) effortlessly breaks into scales and delivers moving vocals performances.
Then there is the screenplay from Kemp Powers which has the steep challenge of bringing these Black cultural icons and civil rights activists of the 1960s to life.
The film does wander from the central motel at times (especially in the beginning and ending of the film) but the story is mostly enclosed within this singular setting. The action of the film is mostly words that are spoken and Powers certainly delivers compelling dialogue. The themes are rich and impactful with this focus on civil rights movement. One Night in Miami is unfortunately all too relevant still today in 2020, but I think this film will ignite some passionate discourse. But can the film deliver all the way to the end? One incredibly moving and powerful musical performance intercut with well-crafted montage is the much need emotional exclamation point to this film. Will you be checking out One Night in Miami this awards season? It would be quite the mistake to pass this one up.
Grade: A-