Product: Cadillac Records [Blu-ray] (2008)
Rating: 5.0
The best dramatic rock movie of all time
I cannot remember the last time I saw a movie as fine as this. I'm sure it plays fast a loose with "the facts" as much as anyone alive knows the facts, but the story, the performances, the sound quality are so far beyond "good," I can't even describe them in words. There were so many times I found myself trembling with excitement watching this movie, as though I was actually there seeing the original players perform these songs for the first time. I was privileged to see both Muddy Waters and Howlin' Wolf perform at Newport, Rhode Island in the 1960s, so this subject has been of great interest to me throughout my life. I was prepared, however, to expect very little from a group of rappers fooling with this great old music. It feels so good to be wrong when someone else does something this right. There's been plenty of talk about Beyonce Knowles' stunning performance as Etta James, and she does, indeed, bring tears to my heart in this role as both an actress and a singer. And Adrian Brody and Jeffrey Wright carry the film as Leonard Chess and Muddy Waters. But don't for one minute underestimate the staggering power of Eamonn Walker as Howlin' Wolf, Gabrielle Union as Geneva Wade, Columbus Short as Little Walter, and Mos Def as a spot-on Chuck Berry. If you love the blues and rock & roll, don't hesitate for one minute. This is the best dramatic movie about the blues or rock & roll to date. If you loved La Bamba, Cadillac Records will blow you out of the water. I've never been the least bit interested in following the career of Beyonce, but I'll tell you, she won a new fan tonight. I'm putting this sound track on my iPod tomorrow and I will check out her records. Now, if they'll just spin it off and let Eamonn Walker do a movie on the life of Howlin' Wolf, and Mos Def devote an entire film to Chuck Berry's life, I'll be delighted. I did miss one of my favorites, Bo Diddley, and wonder why he was left out. I guess they couldn't cover everyone. Perhaps he was left on the cutting room floor. If so, I hope they release a director's cut. Cadillac Records has joined the ranks of my very favorite movies.