Film biopics of famous people, usually after they have passed away, are hardly a new phenomenon. Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom detailed Nelson Mandela’s journey to becoming the first democratically elected president of South Africa, Walk The Line looked at the rise and struggles of Johnny Cash and The Elephant Man told the story of Joseph Merrick who was severely disfigured during Victorian times. These are just a few examples of biopics; if you were to Google ‘biopic film’, you will find at least fifty matching results for a rich variety of films.
Get On Up begins very similar to Walk The Line: our real life protagonist walks along a dark corridor, heaving for the stage surrounded by chants for this name and stamps of feet. Then, as usual, it flashes between different time periods including his childhood up until his Vietnam performance for the troops in usual jumbling biopic fare.
Confused? Well, this is one of the main problems with Get On Up. It’s trying to go non-linear in its presentation of the narrative which is a difficult thing to pull off effectively. And unfortunately in Get On Up, it gets muddled in confusion. It’s easy to get lost, especially at the beginning. The film requires a lot of attention, and though it lags happily enough for you to catch up, it is a lot of effort..
This film also boasts the likes of Octavia Spencer, Viola Davis, Nelsan Ellis and Dan Aykroyd who are all portrayed their characters fantastically. Despite the difficulties this film has in cohesion of narrative, the characters are most definitely believable.
And though James’ ego-mania is somewhat grating at times, it’s understandable why he turns out the way he does. The story of the appalling abuse at the hands of his father and the blatant appalling racism black people were subjected to at the time. That doesn’t mean to say that when James starts to lose control during the height of his fame, the film spends it blaming racism or this parents. In fact, casts a wary eye on James’ faults and balances it with understanding. When he runs his mouth against people, he’s harsh and brutal. His ego-mania and greed clearly demonstrated. This is a definite strength in the film.
This film is enjoyable enough with it’s portrayal of James Brown, even if it leans towards the standard biopic fare that you really have to concentrate with. It’s not one for a lazy weekend as it is intense viewing but nonetheless, Boseman’s performance is captivating.
Get On Up is out this Friday