Ma Rainey's Black Bottom (2020)

Set in 1927 Chicago, the legendary blues singer Ma Rainey (Viola Davis) is there to record four songs for her record label. But an ambitious trumpet player (Chadwick Boseman looking uncomfortably thin) throws a monkey wrench into the recording session by insisting on playing his trumpet his way. Based on the play by August Wilson and directed by George C. Wolfe. Wilson's uncompromising play is brought to the screen intact with two fierce lead performances and an excellent supporting cast. Artists have always had to fight for their right to keep their Art pure but for artists of color, it was doubly difficult as they were often exploited by the white bosses. The contrast between Davis's Ma Rainey and Boseman's trumpet player in dealing with this is quite different. The trumpet player plays the game in the hopes that the white owner of the record label will let him form a band and record his music while Ma Rainey knows that her talent gives her the upper hand. She'll do it her way and she knows they'll let her because they need her. A horripilating piece of film rippling with tension. With Glynn Turman, Colman Domingo, Jeremy Shamos, Taylour Paige and Jonny Coyne.