Respect

“*Find Out What It Means*”
―Tagline

***Respect*** is a 2021 biographical musical drama film directed by Liesl Tommy (in her feature directorial debut), written by Tracey Scott Wilson and Callie Khouri, based on the life of American singer Aretha Franklin. The film stars Jennifer Hudson as Franklin, with Forest Whitaker, Marlon Wayans, Audra McDonald, Marc Maron, Tituss Burgess, and Mary J. Blige in supporting roles.

## Plot

The film follows the first three decades of Franklin's life, from being born as a musical prodigy in an affluent African-American family, the repercussions of losing her mother at age 10 to her arduous rise to international musical stardom, while enduring an abusive marriage, ultimately concluding with the recording of her influential live album Amazing Grace (1972).

In 1952, 10-year-old Aretha Franklin lives with her father C.L., pastor of Detroit's largest Baptist church, and her siblings Cecil, Erma, and Carolyn. Aretha's father often has her sing for parties at their home, while her mother Barbara, separated from C.L., encourages her independence. The predatory actions of a family friend, combined with the sudden death of Barbara, traumatizes Aretha, who ceases to speak for weeks until her father demands that she sing at church.

As a teenager, Aretha tours with her father and his gospel group, the Ward Singers, and meets influential figures such as Martin Luther King Jr. and Dinah Washington. She also becomes pregnant with her first child, Clarence, at age 12, and her second child, Edward, at age 14. Her father secures her a record deal with Columbia Records, but the producers fail to capture her true essence and style. She marries Ted White, a charismatic but abusive man who becomes her manager.

Aretha struggles to find her voice and identity as an artist until she meets Jerry Wexler, a producer at Atlantic Records who offers her more creative freedom. She records her breakthrough hit, "I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You)", at FAME Studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, but Ted's jealousy and violence cause a rift with the musicians. Aretha continues to work with Wexler and other collaborators, such as James Cleveland and the Sweet Inspirations. She produces a string of successful songs, including "Respect", "Think", and "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman".

However, Aretha's personal life is marred by Ted's infidelity, alcoholism, and abuse, as well as her father's controlling and manipulative behavior. She eventually divorces Ted and fires him as her manager but falls into a depression and alcoholism herself. Despite her support and donations, she also faces criticism from some activists for not being more vocal about the civil rights movement.

Aretha decides to record a gospel album at the New Temple Missionary Baptist Church in Los Angeles, with the help of Cleveland and the Southern California Community Choir. She reconnects with her faith and roots, delivering a powerful and emotional performance that becomes her best-selling album, Amazing Grace. She also reconciles with her father, who expresses his pride and love for her. The film ends with Aretha performing "Amazing Grace" at the 1972 Grammy Awards, where she also accepts the award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance.

## Cast

* Jennifer Hudson as Aretha Franklin
* Skye Dakota Turner as young Aretha Franklin
* Forest Whitaker as C.L. Franklin
* Marlon Wayans as Ted White
* Audra McDonald as Barbara Franklin
* Marc Maron as Jerry Wexler
* Tituss Burgess as Reverend James Cleveland
* Mary J. Blige as Dinah Washington
* Kimberly Scott as Mama Franklin
* Saycon Sengbloh as Erma Franklin
* Hailey Kilgore as Carolyn Franklin
* Tate Donovan as John Hammond
* Heather Headley as Clara Ward
* Lodric D. Collins as Smokey Robinson
* Albert Jones as King Curtis
* Myk Watford as Rick Hall
* LeRoy McClain as Cecil Franklin
* Brenda Nicole Moorer as Brenda Franklin
* Joshua Mikel as Ken Cunningham
* Lodric D. Collins as Smokey Robinson

## Production

A film on Franklin's life was in development for a long time with Franklin herself involved in the pre-production, however, the film languished in development h--- for years due to a lack of finding a suitable candidate. Following the release of the musical film *Dreamgirls* (2006), Franklin asked Hudson to play her but did not finalize her decision until seeing her in the Broadway musical *The Color Purple*. The film began production in early 2019 and was concluded by February 2020. The film is dedicated to Franklin, who died in 2018.

## Release

After much delay and postponement, due to the burgeoning COVID-19 pandemic, *Respect* premiered in Los Angeles on August 8, 2021, and was released theatrically in the United States on August 13, 2021, by United Artists Releasing, and in other territories by Universal Pictures.

## Reception

Respect received generally positive reviews from critics, who praised Hudson's performance, the production values, and the costume design, but criticized the screenplay and the long running time. On Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 68% based on 190 reviews, with an average rating of 6.3/10. The website's critics consensus reads, "This standard-issue biopic falls shy of its subject's transcendent brilliance, but Jennifer Hudson's starring performance absolutely commands *Respect*." On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 58 out of 100, based on 44 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews". Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "A" on an A+ to F scale, while PostTrak reported 95% of audience members gave it a positive score, with 77% saying they would definitely recommend it.

## External links

* *Respect* at the Internet Movie Database