Interesting biopic that taught me stuff I didn't know, like who the title character was and why he was a notable figure in the Civil Rights movement, as well as how disunited and sexist the leadership of said movement was. It also advanced provocative portrayals of certain of the leaders, like Roy Wilkins (a very miscast Chris Rock) and Adam Clayton Powell (a fine Jeffrey Wright), that, at the very least, has aroused my curiosity and a desire to delve deeper into the subject (i.e read Taylor Branch). And the performance of Colman Domingo in the title role will, hopefully, push either DiCaprio or Cooper to the Oscar nomination offramp.
Having said the above, let me also add that watching this interesting, well meaning but faintly dull biopic, with its stiff, declamatory dialogue (Dustin Lance Black strikes again, along with somebody named Breece) that mostly features talking Civil Rights heads seated around tables or in offices, talking, with an occasional detour to a racist cop or Rustin's private life, and direction that feels like the film was helmed by Bill Moyers with cinematography by PBS, I had the interesting, well meaning but faintly dull feeling of being in my eleventh grade social studies class. Unless, of course, my teacher was Mr. Pence or Mr. DeSantis. Give it a C plus.
Having said the above, let me also add that watching this interesting, well meaning but faintly dull biopic, with its stiff, declamatory dialogue (Dustin Lance Black strikes again, along with somebody named Breece) that mostly features talking Civil Rights heads seated around tables or in offices, talking, with an occasional detour to a racist cop or Rustin's private life, and direction that feels like the film was helmed by Bill Moyers with cinematography by PBS, I had the interesting, well meaning but faintly dull feeling of being in my eleventh grade social studies class. Unless, of course, my teacher was Mr. Pence or Mr. DeSantis. Give it a C plus.