Rather than watch the Golden Globes, I figured getting around to watching more of 2020’s slate of films instead was a good idea. The whole “fictional account” meets “based on a true story” thing had me apprehensive at first but, once I got into it, I was thoroughly impressed. One Night in Miami is an inventive exploration of ideological differences among some of the most influential Black American figures of the 1960s.
What would happen if Muhammad Ali, Malcolm X, Jim Brown, and Sam Cooke all spent one historic night together? Well, Malcolm X may not know how to throw a party but that doesn’t detract from the brilliance of Regina King’s directorial debut which was adapted from Kemp Powers’ stage play.
I’ve seen it labeled as “slow” and “dialogue-heavy” but King knew the kind of movie she was making and where its strengths were. It’s not an action-adventure flick (although that could have been something special in its own right) and the majority of the film takes place in and around a hotel room. That creative choice amplified the voices of the story’s main characters, allowing for discourse and the personal relationships between the four men to drive the film. Despite having much in common, their belief structures and ideologies were not universal. It’s in that space where the film really finds its footing and delves into a conversation about the struggle for equality and the different approaches to achieve that goal. That conversation continues today and tethers the story to the present through the use of its iconic figures.
In the process of telling this story, or rather having these men tell their stories, the performances were outstanding. I trusted Aldis Hodge and Leslie Odom Jr. but Eli Goree gave one of the better performances I can think of as Ali and Kingsley Ben-Adir brought a wealth of passion to his portrayal of Malcolm X. The four are incredible together, but there are also a number of asides where the relationships are more narrowly focused on one pair or another. The ensemble is as good as, if not better than, anything else from 2020. At least Odom Jr. was nominated for Best Supporting Actor but this whole group deserved a wider depth of appreciation for bringing this story to life with such vigor.
This movie is much, much better than it has gotten credit for so far. Regina King managed to snap a GG nod for Directing, yet somehow her movie wasn’t good enough to make it into the Best Drama conversation? The whole awards show model is getting increasingly dull and out of touch as is, with the Hollywood Foreign Press Association getting publicly shamed by their own hosts for lack of inclusion, and leaving one of the year’s best films in the shadows doesn’t help fix that issue.
Recommendation: Don’t let the HFPA dictate your viewing choice. This is easily one of the best films from 2020 and a wonderful debut feature from Regina King.