"Get on Up" is the type of movie that will probably only appeal to insomniacs. When they've tried every method of getting to sleep, and it's playing at 3 AM on HBO, it just may be their only solution. But oddly enough, on the surface, it seems to have all the right ingredients. With Chadwick Boseman fresh off last year's "42" heading the cast as James Brown, along with director Tate Taylor from "The Help" fame, you would think there isn't much that could go wrong. But unfortunately, there's plenty.
Jumping back and forth from Brown's childhood to his days in absolute fame, it never quite settles. In some moments it wants to be a dark and gritty drama showing his often scary battles with his father, and in others a lively musical featuring the character directly interacting with the camera and talking to the audience throughout.
Obviously deriving from movies like "Dreamgirls" and "Ray", it isn't able to keep a steady (or original) tone that will keep the audience's attention. There's the occasional quick editing trick that may add flare for a second, but none of it is sustained, and it leaves a bland taste in the viewer's mouth.
One of the only redeeming qualities is Boseman's interesting performance, but after two hours of referring to himself in third person, his charm wears off as well. Not to mention the ghastly makeup to show his age, and the unfunny jokes that seem to be slipped in during the most inappropriate moments.
At it's core, it's meant to be a soundtrack, not a film. The characters have no room to be fleshed out properly in the PG-13 atmosphere and the end product feels watered-down and uneven.
Jumping back and forth from Brown's childhood to his days in absolute fame, it never quite settles. In some moments it wants to be a dark and gritty drama showing his often scary battles with his father, and in others a lively musical featuring the character directly interacting with the camera and talking to the audience throughout.
Obviously deriving from movies like "Dreamgirls" and "Ray", it isn't able to keep a steady (or original) tone that will keep the audience's attention. There's the occasional quick editing trick that may add flare for a second, but none of it is sustained, and it leaves a bland taste in the viewer's mouth.
One of the only redeeming qualities is Boseman's interesting performance, but after two hours of referring to himself in third person, his charm wears off as well. Not to mention the ghastly makeup to show his age, and the unfunny jokes that seem to be slipped in during the most inappropriate moments.
At it's core, it's meant to be a soundtrack, not a film. The characters have no room to be fleshed out properly in the PG-13 atmosphere and the end product feels watered-down and uneven.