Ma Rainey's Black Bottom

Ma Rainey's Black Bottom celebrates the life of legendary Black artists. George C. Wolfe's film adaptation of August Wilson's Ma Rainey's Black Bottom is dynamic. It focuses on the fictional account of a day in the life of Ma Rainey (Viola Davis). Through an array of distinct characters, snappy dialogue, and precise filmmaking it is a reclamation of Black music and culture.

Davis steps into the role of the tempestuous figure by inhabiting her full body and carrying the weight of the world. From her smudged makeup and weary eyes, Davis is Rainey. She is facing pressure from her white manager to sign contracts that will give them control over her music. Rainey stands in defiance of white supremacy by delaying its effect on her life any way she can. The narrative focuses on artistic exploitation, specifically Black artists by white people. Her performances are show-stopping and she is not afraid to flex her power when she is in a room.

The film is mostly confined to a stuffy recording studio where her band waits for her. They banter and argue over how to play the song and how to deal with white people. The conversations are embedded with the period-specific Black American dialect. Levee (Chadwick Boseman) is a trumpeter who is tired of playing the same types of songs and wants to make real music. Boseman in his final role gives a layered performance and shows his ability to play a range of personas and characters. He is bitter, overly confident, and a barrier for Ma. Boseman is all of those and lights up the screen every time he speaks. At one moment he is making jokes and then seconds later he is furious.

Wolfe's direction brings all these distinct performances together without one over shining the other. It is a perfect blend. The small room and closeups add a feeling of intimacy and build up the pressure the band is facing to get the song right.

Wilson's play is a part of stories on white exploitation of Black culture. Wolfe with Wilson's play created a thought-provoking, theatrical piece with striking performances, that are owned by these Black creators.