Adapted plays that play out on the silver screen in a fashion that makes you feel like you are watching a play are not my favorite. That’s not to say they don’t always work because sometimes they do. Fences is an excellent example of this done correctly. That movie undoubtedly was successful because of its actors (most notably Denzel Washington and Viola Davis). Like Regina King’s One Night in Miami, Fences only had a couple of stages (in the backyard, front porch, and house). But while each movie was based on a stage performance, Fences felt raw and honest, whereas One Night in Miami felt…well…staged.
Based on the night of February 25, 1964, when boxer Cassius Clay (Eli Goree – Race) became heavyweight champion of the world after defeating Sonny Liston in Miami Beach, One Night in Miami is a fictionalized tale of what happened before and, mostly, after that fight between Clay and friends Jim Brown (Aldis Hodge – The Invisible Man, Straight Outta Compton), Sam Cooke (Leslie Odom Jr – Harriet, Red Tails), and Malcolm X (Kingsley Ben-Ad – King Arthur: Legend of the Sword, The Photograph).
I didn’t love this movie. I don’t even think I liked it. It certainly could have been more entertaining. While I appreciate the issues raised and discussions had by the four men, particularly around Malcolm’s invitation to the other three to join the Nation of Islam while also insisting that they use their platforms to advance the cause, the movie played as a series of fragmented conversations. The narrative moves from one topic to the next, merely scratching the surface of these hot topics of the day. Rather than focusing on and giving attention to one issue, King shifts to the next. It’s almost as if she wanted to say a little about a lot rather than a lot about a little. Likely, perhaps, she wanted to stay within Kemp Powers’ 1983 screenplay of the same name. But the experience of what works better as a play doesn’t necessarily translate to a screen without incorporating elements that a film can offer.
The acting in One Night in Miami was a bit overrated, too. Odom earned an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor. In a below-average year in the category, I’m still surprised he received a nod, especially considering that I thought Ben Ad’s portrayal of Malcolm X was much better than Odom’s version of Cook. Hodge’s Brown was unmemorable, while Goree’s Clay was overmatched. He didn’t have as many lines as the others, but he failed to make an impactful punch when he did speak. More often than not, he watched awkwardly as the other three men discussed the day’s critical issues. Similarly, it’s hard to envision him coming down from such a high, like winning the world’s heavyweight championship, to become so settled and quiet just a couple of hours later.
While not a nominee for Best Picture, One Night in Miami was one of many 2020 movies that received multiple Oscar nominations that failed to overwhelm. This movie did not deserve a Best Picture nomination, but most of the eight nominated films were neither. All eight nominees were original for sure (as was One Night in Miami). But originality shouldn’t necessarily automatically equate to award recognition. Except for Promising Young Woman and Judas and the Black Messiah, the word that comes to mind after “original” when thinking about this group of Best Picture nominees is “boring.” Sound of Metal also escaped that mold for me, though it will fall into the same trap for other viewers. One Night in Miami would have been no exception. While I am okay with slow-paced movies (and sometimes even prefer it), boring is my least favorite film genre.
Plot 7/10 (the problem here is that it’s a fictional tale…we have no idea what happened behind closed doors when these four men met for a night)
Character Development 5/10 (It is hard to develop characters in such a setting…but they are all over the map at any given time)
Character Chemistry 6/10
Acting 7.5/10 (probably would have been an 8.5 if not for Goree)
Screenplay 5/10
Directing 6/10
Cinematography 8/10
Sound 10/10 (the one Oscar nomination this movie received was for its score)
Hook and Reel 7/10
Universal Relevance 10/10
71.5%
C-
Movies You Might Like If You Liked This Movie
- Fences
- Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
- Mo’ Better Blues
- Malcolm X
- The Trial of the Chicago 7