Get On Up

A biographical film about the life of James Brown. The narrative does not run straight. It moves back and forth in time constantly: a poor childhood in Georgia, being abandoned, reform school, the first group, the building of the stage act, the concerts of the 1960s, his moves as a businessman, and the late falling apart. Brown is not made likeable. Paying his band badly, fining them on stage, how he treats the people around him and the violence at home are shown directly. The film presents him as a genius and also shows who paid for it. The performance sections are the strongest element. Brown's movement, the discipline of the band and how tightly that machine ran are shown in detail; the songs are his original recordings. Chadwick Boseman plays Brown and the part was decisive in his becoming known. Nelsan Ellis plays Bobby Byrd and Viola Davis his mother. Tate Taylor directed; Mick Jagger is among the producers. A strong example for anyone who likes music biography and the history of funk. For a viewer expecting a straight narrative, the jumps in time can be tiring and the film passes quickly over certain periods.