Unofficial Academy Awards Discussion Board

Exactly, DWS. One Night in Miami is such a better film because, in spite of its claustrophobic setting, Regina King opened that play up tremendously and made it feel like something broader and more accessible than Ma Rainey's. George Wolfe starts off really well with that scene in the forest with two black men running with the sound of dogs in the distance. It feels like it's the Antebellum South, but we see them instead running away from something, towards something and that's emblematic of the liberating aspect of Ma Rainey's charisma and the impetus for the film. From there, it just seems to lay there. It never lives up to that early promise.

Reza wrote:

OscarGuy wrote:It was a tremendous performance even if the surrounding film wasn't that great. It might have played better on the stage, though. That's my problem with the film is that it never opens up beyond the stage material. That said, Boseman does a wonderful job within the limitations of the film itself. No need to be nasty just because you aren't a fan.

I thought it actually played better without being opened up. The claustrophobic setting added to the drama between the two protagonists and with the other characters.

I don't think they necessarily had to open it up to translate it better for film. I agree that the claustrophobic setting (could have) added to the tension, but I still don't think that the filmmakers managed to adapt it well for film--it seemed to be, let's translate this as faithfully as possibly, without taking into account differences between theater and film, without scaling the performances appropriately; I think they could've used the limited setting and still ended up with a much more cinematic product than they did. (Wolfe's Lackawanna Blues never felt like a stage adaptation, but it was based on a one-man show, so there was no way to adapt it without fully reimagining it.)

Sabin wrote:

mlrg wrote
But I think I’m entitled to dislike the film and the performance, wether or not Mr Boseman has passed away.

Absolutely. But I'm also entitled to put it out there that we should remember to have a little respect if I don't think it's being shown.

Absolutely

OscarGuy wrote:It was a tremendous performance even if the surrounding film wasn't that great. It might have played better on the stage, though. That's my problem with the film is that it never opens up beyond the stage material. That said, Boseman does a wonderful job within the limitations of the film itself. No need to be nasty just because you aren't a fan.

I thought it actually played better without being opened up. The claustrophobic setting added to the drama between the two protagonists and with the other characters.

mlrg wrote
But I think I’m entitled to dislike the film and the performance, wether or not Mr Boseman has passed away.

Absolutely. But I'm also entitled to put it out there that we should remember to have a little respect if I don't think it's being shown.

It was a tremendous performance even if the surrounding film wasn't that great. It might have played better on the stage, though. That's my problem with the film is that it never opens up beyond the stage material. That said, Boseman does a wonderful job within the limitations of the film itself. No need to be nasty just because you aren't a fan.

Sabin wrote:Let's have a little respect, okay? He's an enormously talented actor who passed away.

But I think I’m entitled to dislike the film and the performance, wether or not Mr Boseman has passed away.

Let's have a little respect, okay? He's an enormously talented actor who passed away.

Dreadful performance in a dreadful film

But he will win the Oscar

Chadwick Boseman - Ma Rainey's Black Bottom