On route to the stage, singer James Brown recalls a life with a turbulent childhood where music was his only constructive release for his passions. A chance demonstration of that in prison led to a new friend who helped get him out and into a musical career. With his fire and creative daring, Brown became a star who defiantly created new possibilities in show business both on and behind the stage in face of racism and conventional thinking. Along the way, James would also become a peacemaker who redefined and raised the African-American community's feeling of self-worth when it was needed most. However, those same domineering passions would lead James Brown alienating everyone around him as his appetites became ever more self-destructive. Only after he hit rock bottom with a serious mistake does Brown realize what he needs to do make his life as the Godfather of Soul truly worthwhile. Written by

Plot Synopsis:
-------------------

A man is walking through a darkened hall. From outside, an audience is chanting his name loudly. As he takes his walk, he hears voices of people he knew throughout his life. This man is James Brown (Chadwick Boseman).

Atlanta, Georgia. Year: 1988

James, wearing a green tracksuit, goes to a strip mall that he owns, and learns that somebody had been using his bathroom without his consent. He returns to his truck and retrieves a shotgun, to the horror of those in attendance. He addresses the people about who can use the bathroom and when before he accidentally fires a round into the ceiling. James cries, "Good God!" A frightened woman, Shirley Buell (Cleta Ellington), confesses to having used the bathroom. James forgives her, saying she did right by herself. Sirens are heard, and James realizes he must leave.

In a flashback to the 1960's, James and his band decide to travel to Vietnam to show support to the black troops. Their plane flies in the middle of warfare, with the right propeller getting hit. James addresses the corporal when they land, angry that someone would dare to try and kill him, and also annoyed with the corporal telling him how long he can play, but James disregards this because nobody tells him how long he can keep the funk going. He puts on a show for the troops, and they all love it.

In another flashback to 1939, Little James (Jordan and Jamarion Scott) is calling out for his mama in the woods. She emerges from the trees and runs out, with James chasing her. Her name is Susie (Viola Davis). They go back to their home, when James' father Joe (Lennie James) comes back. Susie chastises him for spending his money on gambling. Joe starts to harass her to get her to bed. She starts to run from him until she willingly jumps into his arms and kisses him, allowing him to take her to bed.

We see some of James' performances with his band, The Famous Flames, performing live before audiences. At one point, they precede The Rolling Stones. James's manager Ben Bart (Dan Aykroyd) tells him about this, and they both believe that The Stones will be has-beens within a year. The Stones watch James perform, admiring his dance moves and energy. Later, James watches The Stones perform on TV and seems to enjoy what he sees. On another occasion, James performs in front of a crowd of white kids, and then imagining himself performing in front of a black crowd where he appears more comfortable.

We shift back to James's childhood. Susie has packed her bags and is ready to leave Joe and her son behind. She walks away, only to return to get James. Joe tries to grab him away from her, but she fights him off. Susie is forced to leave James behind when Joe comes back with a gun. James lives with Joe, who abuses the boy for singing. Later, when Joe goes off to join the army, he leaves James with his Aunt Honey (Octavia Spencer), where she makes James work. Honey takes the boy to church, where he takes an interest in the dancing and singing of the choir.

At the age of 17, James breaks into a car and steals a suit. The police chase after him and he is arrested, receiving a 5-13 year sentence. In prison, James sees a group of singers performing, leading him to stand among the other inmates, clapping and singing along with them. One inmate gets up in James's face, and James punches him twice, inciting a riot. Afterwards, James meets one of the singers, Bobby Byrd (Nelsan Ellis), who was hit in the face with something that was thrown at him. James and Bobby become well-acquainted, and, following James being granted parole, Bobby convinces his mother to let James stay with them. Bobby's sister Sarah (Taura Cherne) takes a liking to James, and Bobby later catches them fornicating in her room.

Years later, James joins Bobby's gospel group. They put on a show at a club as The Famous Flames, following a performance from Little Richard (Brandon Smith). Later, James goes the burger joint where Richard works. Richard goes on a rant about not wanting to make music for the "white devil".

Another flashback from James's childhood shows him and other children being painted with numbers on their bodies and having one hand tied behind their backs, being forced to fight each other blindfolded. James gets beaten easily, but he watches a funk band playing in the distance. It keeps his spirits up.

In the mid-to-late-50's, James and Bobby are at a diner. A man walks in and asks the waitress if she's seen them, as he is an agent from King Records. The boys go up to him and introduce themselves. Later on, James, Bobby, and the rest of the Flames record their first song, "Please Please Please" with King Records. The executive, Syd Nathan (Fred Melamed), isn't very interested in the repetitive nature of the song, but he changes his mind when he hears James singing. Soon, James brings Ben Bart on board as his manager. When the band receives their records, they aren't happy to see it labeled as "James Brown and His Famous Flames". Ben explicitly states that James is the true voice of the group. The others, except Bobby, admit they never liked James, and they quit.

James and Bobby form a new band, with instrument players Maceo Parker (Craig Robinson), Pee Wee Ellis (Tariq Trotter), Nafloyd Scott (Aloe Blacc), and Baby Roy (Keith Robinson). The band performs at the Apollo Theater to an excited audience. While the band relaxes in their dressing rooms, Bobby goes over to James and tells him that a lady claiming to be his mother is there. Susie walks into the room, smiling at James. We then see a flashback of Little James seeing his mother walking with a soldier. James runs up to her and calls for her. The soldier asks Susie if she knows him, but she shakes her head. James runs away, disappointed and angry. Aunt Honey tells James that his mother is a no-account fool, and that someday, he'll be a rich man, because he has the spirit (God) in him.

James has a child, Teddy, with his first wife Velma (Jacinte Blankenship), and then later divorces her. He gets married to a woman named DeeDee (Jill Scott). On one occasion, the couple hosts a Christmas event outside their house, where James hands money to children. Afterwards, James hits DeeDee for wearing an outfit that allows men to stare at her.

In April 1968, James does his best to reach out to the black community. He gathers a group of children and records the song "Say It Loud, I'm Black and I'm Proud". A performance at The Garden is nearly cancelled following the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr, out of fear that riots may break out, but James convinces the manager of The Garden to keep it going. During that show, several audience members try to get on stage and dance alongside James, but the security guards keep pulling them away. James stops the show to allow the people to dance with him. His music does end up appealing to the white community as well. While staying at a hotel, a couple (Allison Janney and John Benjamin Hickey) voice their complaints over the noise and abundance of black guests, but even they cannot resist dancing to James's music.

As his success grows, James's relationships with others turn sour. He treats his bandmates like his lackeys and doesn't allow creative input from the others. Maceo confronts James one day about the band not getting paid on time and having to spend their off days rehearsing. Eventually, they all quit and leave James.

Ben dies after suffering a heart attack during a golf game. James buries his friend, tearing as he does so.

After another performance, Bobby sits onstage and muses about following in James's footsteps and taking the stage himself. James is not happy at this thought, thinking Bobby is trying to steal James's thunder. He argues with Bobby and berates him.

We move back to the Apollo, where James asks Susie why she came to see him. He tells her she was never a mother. Susie says she never wanted to be a mother, but she chose to carry him inside her and she did love him. James gives her $100 and sends her away. Before leaving, she looks back at him and says "You so pretty. You so beautiful." When she's gone, James breaks down and quietly cries. Bobby comes back in and sees him. James tells him to make sure that she is well taken care of.

In 1973, James receives a phone call. Teddy has been killed in a car accident.

We go back to the scene at the strip mall. Prior to this, James smokes a joint laced with angel dust. Following the accidental discharge of the shotgun, James is pursued by the police in his truck. He drives through a barricade and has a police car driving next to him, in which he sees visions of both his mother and father. James is eventually cornered outside a factory and arrested.

In 1993, James visits Bobby at his home for the first time since Teddy's funeral. They are on better terms, and James gives Bobby two tickets to his next show for him and his wife.

The scene goes back to the very beginning of the film, with James walking through the darkened hall. He sees visions of everybody from his life chanting his name (from the pastor at church to Aunt Honey and her friends), and remembering how far he's come to get to this point. He gets up on stage and performs "Try Me". The performance moves Bobby and his wife to tears. The audience cheers James on.

The text at the end says that James Brown was and still is considered one of the greatest and most sampled musical artists of all time. He continued to perform into his 70's, at times with Bobby Byrd. He passed away on Christmas Day in 2006.

The credits feature real pictures of the Godfather of Soul himself.

----------------------------------------
Holdjerhorses from United States
----------------------------------------

Two viewings in three days, to fully appreciate the magnificent achievement that's on screen. Not one extraneous word, scene, shot or sequence. The whole is as tight as James Brown's hits - or his pants.

The underlying construction of these snapshots of James Brown's life is flawless. Far from being haphazard or out-of-sequence for mere "effect," this non- linear storytelling technique has rarely been used with greater impact. Thankfully, Tate Tayler, Mick Jagger, the other producers and writers, decided AGAINST the boring born-in-a-shack and then this happened, and next that happened, and finally he died structure.

Result? The film has unexpected rhythms that never let go and build to the astonishing, electrifying re-creation of Brown's Paris concert that - even on second viewing - had me jumping out of my seat, fist-pumping the air and screaming, "YES!"

I wasn't alone.

Chadwick Boseman may be the black male Meryl Streep. His technical achievements alone are remarkable: Brown's moves, speech rhythms and timbre - but mainly his lip-syncing to Brown's vocals: flawless!

Even in the final moments, as the aged Brown silences his band, then begins the haunting "Try Me" a capella - in a closeup so tight you practically see Boseman's tonsils, his mouth, tongue placement, breathing and facial emotions are so perfectly and intensely aligned with Brown's voice you'd swear Boseman were doing his own signing.

But Boseman is equally true portraying Brown at any age, any stage, from any distance. You can't fake that level of acting proficiency. Whether he wins best actor, he is certain to (deservedly) be nominated.

Boseman'surrounded by an equally perfect cast, not one of whom rings false: ultimately a tribute to the director - stunningly supported by the script, cinematography and editing.

By comparison, Clint Eastwood's "Jersey Boys" looks exactly like what it is: a tired, clichéd jukebox Broadway musical with great old safe, whitebread hits (distinguished mainly by Frankie Valli's falsetto) and nothing else to write home about.

James Brown, on the other hand, was always in your face. So were (are) Mick Jagger and the Stones. And so, rightly, is "Get On Up" as a rousing cinematic experience that has to be seen to be believed.

----------------------------------------
kmjohnso from United States
----------------------------------------

I know folks have been talking about a James Brown biopic for years and I secretly hoped that it would not come to pass. I feared that it would be butchered in an attempt to "butts in the seats". I know folks need to make money but don't kill something wonderful in the process. This movie was WAY better than I had hoped. Kudos to Mick Jagger and a standing ovation for Mr. Chadwick Boseman.

I did not see "42" but the brotha knocked this one clean out of the park. Loved seeing Voila Davis, Octavia Spencer and my girl Jill Scott as well. Of course, the music was amazing! I couldn't get over how Boseman captured James Brown's pattern of speech, walk, dance moves, etc. This performance was electric. Now I have to go read, "The One" to find out how much was fact and how much was fiction.

If you have any interest whatsoever in JB music, catch this one!

----------------------------------------
sales-70-819099
----------------------------------------

An eye opener for me. James Brown was one of the great innovators and leaders in American music and yet for many people he is a total unknown. Watching the movie one finds that his influence was immense on many of the musicians that followed him in all the many forms American music has evolved over the time, from rhythm and blues to rock and roll. It is fascinating look at the times from the post World War 2 period through the turmoil of the Civil Rights era. It is also a revelation about the music and the man. Amazing performance by Chadwick Boseman. The contrast between his portrayal of Jackie Robinson in 42 and this shows a great strength in acting ability. It is a truly Oscar worthy performance in and of itself. Hats off to Mick Jagger for producing this movie.

----------------------------------------
clambakejr from United States
----------------------------------------

Get On Up, a biopic of music legend James Brown had a lot of potential that is mostly unrealized. Mainly, Chadwick Boseman gives an Oscar worthy performance as Mr. Brown, but his talent is ill used. The storyline and editing are extremely choppy. The viewer is subjected to nearly constant flash backs and flash forwards without a unifying narrative, especially at the beginning. The film's main problem, however, was that James Brown would constantly breach the fourth wall, talking directly to the audience. I found this awkward and annoying, mainly because I couldn't understand why the writers called for this. This technique might work for comedies or more experimental drama, especially on the stage, but I don't see why it should be used in a biopic. All this aside, the concert scenes are incredible. Boseman sounds, sings, and dances to dazzling effect.

----------------------------------------
Peppermintfilms from San Francisco CA
----------------------------------------

Chadwick Boseman is James Brown as he recreates his evolution as a performer in exhaustive dimension and magnitude. The raw and charismatic excitement of Brown's presence are all here. This shows dedication and natural ability as Boseman reminds us of a heritage that music cannot deny and a story that needs to be told again and again as Brown's influence continues to mesmerize us when we hear him. The entire cast were soulful and talented. Viola Davis was very moving as Brown's mother who had abandoned him as a young child and we sense the deep sorrow and loss that Brown must have endured and helps us understand his determination and inner fire as he himself catches hold of his spiritual connection to source and allows his musical genius to take hold of him and us. The words and messages in the songs that Brown wrote may at times seem simplistic but true as he sings them with such knowing, a man who has experienced life in all its dimensions.

----------------------------------------
F_Jenkins from la
----------------------------------------

The actors all were superb in this - every one. Just great. It's the bad direction and script and editing that killed it. The movie is all over the place. We get flashbacks to flashbacks. Scenes are started, then finished later in the movie - for what reason is unclear. There is no structure. It's not really told in three acts. It's okay to tell the story out of order if it makes sense (Pulp Fiction is a perfect example). But this movie is all over the place.

To make things worse, there is periodic breaking of the fourth wall - James Brown talks to the audience. Nothing could be more annoying. When you finally get over the jumping all over the time-line and forget your watching a movie and get into the thing, he starts talking to the audience. It's almost like they wanted to just throw everything in the movie and just hope some of it went over well.

There's a lot of stuff that makes no sense: Brown is chased by the police and when he finally stops, it's his 10 year old self that gets out of the truck. Huh? What does this mean? He's an innocent boy? He's a child at heart? He's immature? He's being chased by the police and as the police car drives next to him, he sees the younger version of his mom and dad in the car. Huh? Why? What does that mean? There are periodic scenes like this that make zero sense. There are lots of quick flashes throughout his life embedded in scene that are more "look what we did there" than to make actual sense.

The sad thing is James Brown is worthy of a great biography. Unfortunately he's not Elvis and won't get 10 different bios made about him. This is it. And it's not good.

----------------------------------------
Kirk Ostojic from United States
----------------------------------------

James Brown was a unique musician. He was the Godfather of Soul and inspired many musicians. He had hits like "Get Up Offa That Thing" and "Papa's Got a Brand New Bag." Tate Taylor (who did a wonderful job adapting "The Help") takes on Brown's story in "Get On Up" and tries to cram almost all of Brown's life story in a little over 2 hours. Taylor tries to make the film as bold and sporadic as Brown was by jumping around in time and breaking the fourth wall, but I don't think it worked.

In the first 15 minutes, we jump around to 3 different time periods, but it doesn't feel like it has much purpose for the juxtaposition of these time lines. We have to follow all these different story lines that don't always connect. A character says he's leaving Brown in one scene and by the next scene, the character is with Brown again like nothing happened. The lack of chronological flow makes it harder to appreciate what Brown did for his time, like the concert after Martin Luther King, Jr.'s death. It can be confusing and I think it could have stronger moments if it was done chronologically. The film didn't hook me within the first half hour and all the jumping around in time made the film feel never ending.

The breaking of the fourth wall isn't used consistently and well enough to make it useful. It took a long time for the film to establish that breaking the fourth wall was going to be apart of the film. I think it's better when a film starts with breaking the fourth wall instead of waiting 20 minutes to introduce it. It seemed like Taylor was trying to be like Martin Scorsese's "The Wolf of Wall Street" or Woody Allen's "Annie Hall," but I don't think it worked as well with "Get On Up." I admire how the film was trying to break the music biopic formula. However, I don't think it did it well.

"Get On Up" does have interesting juxtapositions when it merges Brown's older life with his younger self, but Brown is the only one we get to focus on and learn anything about. There is a large cast that surrounds him with great actors like Viola Davis and Octavia Spencer. These actors do the best they can, but the film doesn't give them enough time and they feel flat and one-dimensional. It's hard to connect with any of the supporting characters and Brown is a narcissistic jerk that you don't really want to connect with. Chadwick Boseman does a really good job showing all of Brown's charms and flaws, but everything around his performance feels weak.

Taylor's "Get On Up" tries to be a lot of different things, but it doesn't juggle them well. Brown went through so much in his life that it may have been better to focus on one of these important moments than to throw them all together. What we get is a slow moving and messy film that doesn't always add up to what it could have been. The film ends strongly with a montage that sums up Brown well and a song, but the two hours we go through to get there doesn't feel worth it.

----------------------------------------
rgkarim from United States
----------------------------------------

James Brown, a musical legend whose funk and soul spread from city to city over decades. With movies looking for anything to make a story about, these days, it was only a matter of time before the Godfather of Soul was chosen. Yet despite his musical influence, could the directors make a film that would do justice to him, or like other tributes fall short and are nothing more than a bore. Going in for my third movie this weekend, I'm here to share my thoughts about Get On Up, titled after one of my favorite songs.

After seeing Four Seasons, I worried that this movie would be another drawn out drama with only tidbits of music here and there. Yet the directing team decided to actually bring the music to the front and give the audience the music they knew and loved. Get On Up plays a plethora of songs from toe tapping Get On Up to the soulful Please, each timed in the story to mimic the emotions at hand. While some of the songs are only segments, the movie gives you enough of a show to satisfy the funk within you. The numbers are well designed, with Chadwick Boseman bringing some impressively choreographed moves, including the famous split that will have guys cringing. One feels like they are in a constant, at home with the crowd as the cameras circle around the bandstand. What's also nice is that the songs are spread throughout the movie, and one doesn't have to wait to long before another song is blasting through the speakers. However, this also leads to a little problem, as so many songs leads to a messy story that is fractured, sporadic, and sometimes confusing to follow.

This leads me to the next part, the story. Like many movies about musical icons the story is predictable mess, again showing traumatic backstories and showing their rise to fame. However, Get On Up diverges from the typical linear presentation and decides to jump around Brown's life. In the beginning, it is confusing to follow, because the order doesn't make sense, nor is it easy to find the relevancy at the time. As the movie continues, you get an idea of what the director is trying to do, using the scenes as an illustration of his thoughts at the time, the primal drive to his actions. It's cool, but again confusing as you try to pick up what is going on at the times. Some of the flashbacks are also awkwardly timed and sometimes seem to are left untied as the movie continues. At times I asked, "What was the point of that scene?" only to get an answer an hour down the line. It's diverse yes, but the approach needs to be ironed out a little more for this reviewer to get the most out of it. Unfortunately, this movie's plot is still similar to all band stories, in the fact that there is an inevitable rise and fall that we will see them go through.

Despite the order of the scenes though, Get On Up has some impressive production behind the movie. As I already mentioned, the music scenes are the most entertaining of the bunch, but the drama surrounding it is well designed. Plenty of my fellow audience members commented on how well they captured the decade, designing the various cast in the costumes of the era. Backstage hassles, luxurious hotels, and studios were all crafted into smoke filled wonders, and you feel drawn in to Brown's life. What was also nice to see was the lack of using a grey filter, a very popular filter at the moment, to make the already dismal world even more depressing. Instead, the world is colorful and vibrant, much like the music.

Finally the acting. Boseman steals the show, managing to bring a lot of energy and fun into the enigmatic Brown. His raspy voice sounds much like the voice in the singing, though it is not an exact match, I think he did nice on the vocals and delivery. He is funny, and seems to be a natural at playing the self-involved performer, because he didn't seem to try too hard. Boseman captures the emotional spectrum of Brown brilliantly in this movie and next to the music, is the biggest highlight of the film. To counter the selfishness of Brown is his friend Bobby Byrd played by Nelsan Ellis who also does a great job. Although his character takes a backseat through most of the film, and only speaks at key points, Ellis does a lot with his limited lines. And just like Boseman, Ellis can bust a move, though his pipes are drowned out in the numbers. As for the rest of the cast, the iconic Dan Aykroyd plays the same arrogant business man he always does, though with a bit of a softer side when it comes to James. Viola Davis brings the same passion to her role, though like Ellis is limited to the amount of time on screen. Octavia Spencer brings her sass back to scene and has some guiding insight, but does take a back seat to Boseman as well.

Overall Get On Up is a visit to the past of powerful music. Fans will travel back in time with Brown's hits, and the beat will have you tapping your toes. Yet the predictable drama, the dark and depressing mood, and the unique presentation had me feeling the movie lasted a little too long, especially at the slow parts. Recommended audience members are big James Brown fans, or those looking to take older audience members to a movie. Otherwise, skip this film and wait for it to come to your home entertainment set up. My scores for this flick are:

Biography/Drama/Music: 7.5 Movie Overall: 6

----------------------------------------
Emma Dinkins (emmadinkins@chixchatonfilm.com) from Texas, United States
----------------------------------------

This film is long overdue, although it seemed to me that there was so much more content excluded from the storyline. If a film maker chooses to focus on the artistry and creativity that came forth from an individual then it is best not to delve too deeply into the demons, which for James Brown (Chadwick Boseman) were much bigger than portrayed in this film. I wasn't a fan of the style of filmmaking applied to this tale, I would have preferred a more linear approach to the historical events that shaped Mr. Brown's personality. Starting a story with some event that takes place at the end is not that unusual, but there was so much jumping back and forth from childhood to young adult to the 'Godfather of Soul' that it was hard to connect to the story initially. Then there were the soliloquies, I didn't quite fathom why they were needed since they really did not add much to the storytelling other than try to place the audience inside of James' head. This story of the lifelong friendship of James and Bobby Byrd (Nelsan Ellis) was interesting and engaging, but nothing about this film was more entertaining than the music. I tried to be a good moviegoer so I didn't song along aloud, but it was almost impossible to just sit without moving to Caldonia and Get on Up. I couldn't help but reminisce as Please, Please, Please and This is a Man's World permeated the crowded theater. And yes, I fought back the tears during Try Me. The story did include a pivotal encounter with Little Richard (Brandon Smith) and the events that led to Bootsy Collins becoming a band member, but there were other musical icons that touched his life that were not mentioned. I guess the movie would have been too long to cover everyone. Mr. Boseman did a fine job of mimicking the enigmatic dance moves of Mr. Brown and his lip-syncing was palpable, but I just wasn't fully convinced with the vocal recreation. James Brown had a distinctive style of speech that few have been able to capture. Eddie Murphy did it with his comic genius on SNL with Hot tub, but he too may have fallen short if he was expected to maintain the sometimes indistinguishable speak throughout a feature film. I enjoyed this film, I saw it with my mother who is 74 and she loved it. The first concert that I ever attended was a James Brown concert. You don't know at the time that when you're just out for some entertainment, you're actually in the presence of greatness and that you are a part of historic events.

----------------------------------------
Aaron Taylor from Ontario, Canada
----------------------------------------

Without question, the singular reason to watch this film is the performance by Chadwick Boseman. Everything else about this movie is uncreative, lazy, and offensively unfunny at points. There is a sequence in the film involving a white couple which objects to staying in the same hotel as James Brown and the band, their scenes included some of the worst dialogue ever provided to actors. This couple is used later as comedic relief, because you know, even if you're racist you love James Brown music, not a white man alive could not enjoy the music he produced. The movie is extremely predictable, one scene where James Brown hits his wife is so poorly done, it was an embarrassment to biographical films. It is almost like the director watched Ray, picked up the style and just didn't even bother with the context of the story. Dan Aykroyd returns to form in being terrible at actually acting, he was actually good in Behind the Candelabra. Where 42 had at least one redeemable white person, this movie literally tries to have not one positive white character, the only white character outside of Dan Aykroyd, who doesn't come off as racist, is a pool cleaner at the end who is used purely to make the point, look how far we've gone, now the white man cleans our pool. The movie is actually more about the relationship between James Brown and Bobby Byrd by the end, which is obviously a big piece of James Brown's life, but I find it disrespectful to avoid the real problem which James Brown faced in his life. Cocaine is seen once in the film when he rolled up a joint laced with cocaine which he apparently smoked right before the shotgun accident. Now when you are dealing with some iconic, that doesn't mean you try to make them look better by telling a made story. Walk the Line and Ray were critically acclaimed because they dove into the problems which the subjects had, this glosses over every problem and tells you that the only problems James Brown ever faced were Financial, Racists who hadn't heard his music before being ignorant and a bit of a mental problem, but because the directing is soo awful it's hard to tell if certain moments are supposed to interact with the audience, much like Zach Morris in Saved by the Bell, or show that James Browns mind would drift away from him. This movie is simply an over rated, it reminds me a lot of The Butler, which was just another awful movie, which was over hyped and completely done in a manner where the historical facts are extremely rare. I also must say, they really over exaggerated the car chase after the shotgun accident, it makes the ending of Argo look tame.

Dan Aykroyd and the real James Brown appeared together in The Blues Brothers (1980), Doctor Detroit (1983) and Blues Brothers 2000 (1998).
------------------------

In the scene preceding the 1964 T.A.M.I. show, when James is discussing The Rolling Stones with Pop, one of the other acts, the American rock band The Beach Boys, is depicted in the background rehearsing vocals.
------------------------

James Brown learns that the Rolling Stones will close the TV show, not him. Ben Bart says the band will soon be forgotten. Fifty years later, The Stones are still performing together, and frontman Mick Jagger is this film's executive music producer and one of its main producers.
------------------------

Aunjanue Ellis appeared with the real James Brown in Undercover Brother (2002)
------------------------

During the rehearsal that James called after spotting Pee-Wee mocking him, James explains to Clyde (the drummer) how he wants the drums to come in for the song. James' explanation is how the actual recorded song "Cold Sweat" begins on the record.
------------------------

Many of the actresses in this film have starred in previous films by Tate Taylor. Viola Davis was previously in The Help (2011) as Aibileen Clark; Octavia Spencer has appeared in all of Tate's films, first in Chicken Party (2003) as Laqueta Mills, then as Mary in Pretty Ugly People (2008), and then Minny Jackson in The Help (2011); Allison Janney has also appeared in Tate's previous works, first as Barbara Strasser in Chicken Party (2003), then Suzanne in Pretty Ugly People (2008), and Charlotte Phelan in The Help (2011); Aunjanue Ellis previously appeared in The Help (2011) as Yule Mae Davis; and lastly, Nelson Ellis appeared in The Help (2011) as Henry the Waiter.
------------------------

Just before James hits the stage on the T.A.M.I. show, there's a shot of two of the hosts ready to introduce James and the Flames. (One of which, was dressed as a Fire Fighter) This footage was actual footage from the 1964 broadcast of the T.A.M.I. show. The 2 people are Jan & Dean (Dead Man's Curve).
------------------------

This is Aunjanue Ellis' third film based on a real life musician. She previously portrayed Mary Ann Fisher in Ray (2004), based on Ray Charles, and Sandy in Notorious (2009), based on Biggie "Notorious B.I.G." Smalls.
------------------------

Ben Bart handcuffs a suitcase full of cash to Big Junior's wrist. As Elwood Blues, Dan Aykroyd walked on stage with a suitcase handcuffed to his wrist.
------------------------

The third time Chadwick Boseman has played a real person first time was in "The Express" second was "42".
------------------------

In the movie, James Brown is shown to be married only twice. In reality, he had four different wives.
------------------------

In the film, James Brown is a preteen when his mother abandons him. In real life, Brown was four years old when he was abandoned by his mother.
------------------------

african american|1970s|1980s|mother son relationship|1950s|1960s|gospel music|troubled childhood|brothel|popular music|concert|rhythm and blues|music promotion|performer|funky music|black man|black musician|soul music|

AKAs Titles:


Certifications:
Canada:PG (British Columbia) / France:U / Germany:12 / Ireland:12A / Netherlands:12 / Portugal:M/12 / Singapore:M18 / South Korea:15 / Switzerland:10 / UK:12A / USA:PG-13 (certificate #49205)