Product: Cadillac Records [Blu-ray] (2008)
Rating: 5.0
The Blues With Heart and Soul
I won't mince words by stating that this is one of the best films to be released in 2008. I have to go back to "The Buddy Holly Story" in 1978 to recall a better portrayal of popular music translated to the screen. The criticism of both films seem to be with the dramatic license the makers take. I won't argue with the distortion of the facts but as long as the essence of the story is captured I take no objection. The thing I find admirable about "Cadillac Records" is that it's not some slick sugar-coated confection(see "Ray"). This is a tough film about musicians who legitimately suffered for their art. What is amazing is director Darnell Martin juggles so many personal stories satisfactorily in a relatively short running time. You could easily make a miniseries with the material here. The cast is uniformly excellent but I'd like to give special attention to Beyonce Knowles' portrayal of Etta James. Previously I dismissed Knowles as a pretty voice and face probably unfairly since the only films I saw her in were "Austin Powers" and "Dreamgirls" where she had an underwritten part. With limited screen time Knowles convincingly portrays the heartache and pain that James experienced. I was so entranced that I longed for a film devoted solely to James. I recommend this film with no reservations.