#picturelockshow

If given the chance to be a fly on the wall for a historic conversation, what conversation would you choose? We’ve been invited to be a fly on the wall with four black historical figures in One Night in Miami. Director/Producer Regina King and screenwriter Kemp Powers have given us a thought-provoking glimpse into history through a fictional interpretation of true events as discussed by iconic figures.  The concept is fresh, innovative, and does not disappoint.  Thanks to Kemp’s screenplay and a star-studded cast, the transition from stage play to the screen is smooth.

On Feb. 25, 1964, after Cassius Clay (Eli Goree) shocked the world by defeating Sonny Liston to become the Boxing World Champion, he and a few friends (Jim Brown (Aldis Hodge), Sam Cooke (Leslie Odom Jr.), and Malcom X (Kingsley Ben-Adir)) decide to meet in a room at a hotel in Miami before going out to celebrate Clay’s victory. Once in the room, the men begin to exchange stories of their personal trials and tribulations of being a black man with power in America in 1964.

From the cinematography to the music selections, everything is intentional and well crafted. With King in the director’s chair (for the first time, mind you) and Powers’ powerful writing (Disney’s Soul), this film sets a bar for one location plays adapted to the screen. It doesn’t feel like a stage play, but more like a documentary. Powers’ writing captures and confronts topics with a perspective on political, religious and racial issues that still ring true with African Americans today. 

The film exposes the difficult situation these men found themselves in as prominent figures in society. There was a particular crossroad they had to pass in terms of the fact that they could personally be successful and wealthy and not ruffle political feathers or use their status to make a difference which would come with strife. An example of a topic of discourse is between Malcom X and Sam Cooke. Malcolm feels Cooke could use his voice through music to help with the black movement in a direct way rather than indirectly helping from the sidelines. Cooke explains how he writes songs and receives royalties to be able to have financial capital  to make a difference, stating “I don’t want a piece of the pie; I want the recipe.” The clash gives an interesting notion of the two wanting the same results but attaining it in different ways, which is something we saw from many leaders at the time.

You can feel the emotion that each actor delivers in their interpretation of their characters as though they channelled their real-life counterparts. Goree (Clay) and Ben-Adir (X) re-imagined the expressions of the figures previously portrayed by Will Smith and Denzel Washington (with great success) and etched and expanded their own paths forward. Goree portrays Clay as a charming charismatic version of the champ, coming to make the big decision of converting to the Nation of Islam. Ben-Adir shows multiple facets of Malcom X as a family man whose goal is to advance black people from the harsh realities of America at the time, while fighting a few personal fights within the Nation of Islam simultaneously. Hodge (Jim Brown) and Odom Jr (Sam Cooke) also set a high bar for their performances of the two characters. Hodge shows the calm and dominant demeanor that turned Brown into a household name for both football and acting. The multi-talented Odom, uses the voice we loved in Hamilton to effortlessly step into the crooner’s shoes.  

Overall, this concept is a first-class piece of art. I laughed, my thoughts were provoked, and I learned something about each of these high-profile characters on a personal level, especially their stances on the advancement of black people. Most importantly, I was inspired by each character as he shared how his experiences supplied purpose to his life and how status as a celebrity was going to be used to fulfill that purpose. If you love original content that tells a good story, this is a must watch. If it was in theaters, I’d go, but the at home experience does it justice. It’s a well-constructed film that will give you an appreciation for each of these characters and will have you looking for other opportunities to be a fly on the wall. One Night in Miami is set to start streaming on Amazon Prime January 15th.