Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom: Social Commentary and The Blues

Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom is a Netflix movie based on a play and the life of Ma Rainey, a Black blues singer in the 1920s. Ma and her band are in Chicago for a one-day recording session and the story takes us through a wide range of emotional conversations. Arguments range from minor miscommunications (like the producers forgetting to get Ma a coke) to violent altercations. It actually reminds me a little of One Night in Miami…, which I watched last week, because of how dialogue-heavy and dramatic the monologues are. Both movies are based on a play, so that checks out. The performances are absolutely breathtaking, particularly that of Chadwick Boseman as Levee and Viola Davis as Ma Rainey. Everyone else is just as excellent, but Boseman’s and Davis’s roles are the most involved and heavy on the emotional scale.

Visually, this movie is really beautiful and paints a portrait of a segregated 1920s America. In the opening scene, two men are running through the woods in the night, giving the impression that they are slaves on the run. But they are really running to attend a performance of Ma Rainey. I loved the attention to detail with the costuming and makeup, especially with the character of Ma. Ma’s face is caked with heavy makeup and she has a prominent set of gold teeth. Watching Viola Davis “singing” and dancing on the stage is so fun, and it really makes you feel like you’re in the moment with the crowd. The movie predominantly takes place in a downstairs rehearsing room and an upstairs recording studio. I loved watching the band members interact with each other in the basement, and experiencing how the dynamic would change when they would all be in the recording studio. I was also really drawn in to the no-nonsense and difficult attitude of Ma Rainey. Beneath her hard exterior lies the sad reality of how precarious it was (and probably still is) to be a successful, female, and Black entertainer.

Chadwick Boseman as Levee puts on an absolutely mesmerizing performance as a young and reckless trumpet player. The character of Levee is really frustrating at first - you can tell he’s a headstrong and dumb kid who likes to subvert authority. But as you learn more about his past, you realize just how traumatized he is from the acts of violence he experienced as a child. He is ultimately the most tragic character in this movie/play. I’m so blown away by Chadwick Boseman’s vulnerability on the screen and pure talent at drawing out the emotions of his characters. Watching the expressions on his face shift from sadness to anger to fear to joy is incredible. As Denzel Washington said during one of his interviews, even though we are sad that he is no longer here, we are also grateful that his legacy lives on with us through his work.

In conclusion…

Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom is an exploration of the trials and tribulations of being a Black entertainer in the 1920s. I loved hearing and dancing along to the music of that time, while also feeling really immersed in the impeccable dialogue, covering topics from racial inequality to business power dynamics. Definitely a joy to watch!