Ma Rainey's Black Bottom review, Culture Whisper
The memory of Chadwick Boseman is still ripping through the film world. His final role in Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, based on the August Wilson play, could’ve overshadowed the story – particularly for those experiencing it for the first time, like this critic.
Thankfully, Boseman transcends all those tragic realities with his performance. He's completely immersed in his character Levee, a Black cornet player in a 1920s blues band. Levee is young and smug and arrogant, always seeking to be the centre of attention…
That is, until the band's lead singer Gertrude ‘Ma’ Rainey – the real-life 'Mother of the Blues' – turns up. A stern, unbreakable Viola Davis plays her with the energy of an immovable diva; her performance competing with Boseman’s at every turn. Choosing a favourite is impossible.
