A Stage IV Musical Biopic

Rating: 7/10 (27 August 2015)

And the biopic continues to evolve.
Stage I biopics simply wanted to involve the viewer in the artist's success. Eg - Buddy Holly Stage II biopics included Stage I but also dragged the viewer into the tragedy of the artist's life. Eg -- Tina Turner Stage III biopics maintained the theme of telling all but no longer cared whether the music was included ... or not. Eg - Bessie And this is the latest evolution. A biopic that sets its sights so high that -- in order to succeed -- it must not only drag you into the life of the artist but also create some sort of Star Trek time warp, so you the viewer are bi-locating in time while you watch.
Very ambitious.
Not a perfect film. It has lulls and dead spots and places where you are wondering why you are even watching.
But the acting is extraordinary. The agency that represents Cusack bills him as "the hardest working actor in Hollywood." Here he almost earns that praise.
Giamatti is an actor of such class he could play a loaf of bread.
And Banks continues her personal trek to show her skills by playing (almost) a completely different character in each movie, sequentially, that she appears in. Hard to believe this is the same lady from Walk of Shame.