One of the cliches I hate about issues-oriented films set in the past is when critics say how "relevant" the movie is today.
We talk about struggles of the Civil Rights Movement and say that even though the movie depicts events that occurred more than 50 years ago, it feels like the same issues we're talking about today.
Yes, it's a cliche. But I can't seem to find another way to describe "One Night in Miami," the directorial debut of Oscar-winning actress Regina King. It's based on a play by Kemp Powers, in which Muhammad Ali (Eli Goree), Jim Brown (Aldis Hodge), Sam Cooke (Leslie Odom, Jr.) and Malcolm X (Kingsley Ben-Adir), spend an evening together talking about their dreams, their fears and their identities as black men. Its theatrical roots means that it's very dialogue heavy and the majority of the lines are just these four actors but that doesn't mean the movie lacks any momentum or energy.
It's a fictional account of these four men hanging out after Ali -- then Cassius Clay -- beat Sonny Liston and took home the title. And, yes, it's cliche to say this film feels very "relevant" but it's hard to find another way to put it.
It's relevant because right now I feel that everyone is searching for answers when it comes to issues dealing with racism in American. Even within the black community, there are different ideas of how to address the lingering effects of racism. And in this movie, each of the four leaders have their own philosophies, their own ways, their own impact on history.
Unlike the cliche biopics about civil rights heroes in which the protagonist never has any doubts and knows all of the right things to do, each of these men struggle with their identities and their places in the world.
Sam Cooke probably personifies this the most in "One Night in Miami," pontificating about whether it's better to play the game and get rich off of white audiences or take a bolder route aimed solely at black audiences.
Jim Brown struggles about whether to continue beating up his body playing football when a blossoming film career is on the horizon.
Cassius Clay wonders whether he truly wants to join the Nation of Islam. And Malcolm X is having his own issues with the leaders of the Nation.
All actors could earn themselves Oscar nominations. It'll be interesting which ones get categorized as "lead" and which ones are "supporting" since it is truly an ensemble piece with four leads (the Golden Globes said they didn't care if they were lead or supporting but they all had to be in the same category). I actually think Kingsley Ben-Adir and Eli Goree might have done better portrayals of Malcolm X and Muhammad Ali than Denzel Washington and Will Smith. That's not an exaggeration.
King herself could become the first black female to be nominated for Best Director. The movie itself could also be a contender for Best Picture and Best Adapted Screenplay, although there's some competition there.
There might be some that overlook "One Night in Miami" due to its similarities to "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom." Both are movies based on plays that deal with black struggle using historical figures in a fictional setting. Both are excellent.
Screenwriter Kemp Powers, who adapted his own play, also co-wrote Disney/Pixar's "Soul," so he could get two nominations this year.
"One Night in Miami" features some of the best acting in 2020 and what makes it so refreshing is it isn't from the same faces you've seen again and again. I appreciated seeing little known actors, with a Tony winner in Odom Jr. who has yet to truly break through in movies. Yes, he was in "Harriet" but he didn't have a huge role.
Odom Jr. could be both nominated for Best Supporting Actor and Best Original Song for "Speak Now."
"One Night in Miami" is one of the best movies of 2020 and it opens in limited release in theaters on Christmas Day, although it apparently isn't playing in theaters in the Central Indiana area. It'll come out on Amazon Prime for free on Jan. 15.
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