REVIEW: THE UNITED STATES VS. BILLIE HOLIDAY

4/5

Holiday Blues. 

130 Mins. Starring: Andra Day, Trevante Rhodes, Garrett Hedlund, Leslie Jordan, Miss Lawrence, Adriane Lenox, Natasha Lyonne, Rob Morgan, Da'Vine Joy Randolph, Evan Ross & Tyler James Williams. Director: Lee Daniels. 

"Southern trees bearing a strange fruit

Blood on the leaves and blood at the root

Black bodies swinging in the Southern breeze

Strange fruit hanging from the poplar trees."

1937. This movie begins with a black and white photo of a gang of white men crowded together. The text tells us back then an anti-lynching bill was considered in the Senate...but it did not pass. The camera then pans down to one of the most horrific photos of a lynched black man that you will ever see. But if you think that's the worst of it...you've got another thing coming. During this time the Lady that sang the blues, Billie Holiday rose to infamy. In part due to her stirring protest song 'Strange Fruit'. The roots of the Civil Rights era. This incendiary, influential call for change detailed harrowing, haunting lyrics in its description, defiant in watering anything down like a chaser in these barrooms, or mollycoddling anyone. Cigarette ash would collect and simply drop into the ashtrays of banquets of bow-tie suited and booted, distinguished guests, illuminated by the lamplights of their white clothed tables as one journalist once so poignantly put it. I'm just still so mad Kanye sampled it for a song about sex, drugs, money and Instagram. This led to an FBI witch hunt as J. Edgar Hoover sicked his dogs on Billie. Trying to silence the voice of this freedom writer and exploit this heroine's drug problem. Now director Lee Daniels who gave us the best of the great Forest Whitaker in 'The Butler' gives us this account in 'The United States Vs. Billie Holiday' based on and going by the 'Chasing The Scream: The First and Last Days of the War on Drugs' by Jonhann Hari. But fact or fiction, even though this Daniels dubbed "authoritative text" is no biopic, it still feels like a bruising real and raw one as compelling as they come. You can't look away...even when you don't want your eyes to see the brutality of this history. It's ours until we make that change. Together, as one. 

"Pastoral scene of the gallant South

The bulging eyes and the twisted mouth

Scent of magnolia sweet and fresh

Then the sudden smell of burning flesh."

Academy. Why not take all of this to the Academy? Because singer on singer, Andra Day gives all of herself as Billie Holiday. This deserves its 'Respect' like Oscar 'Dreamgirl' Jennifer Hudson as Aretha does too, to be frank. Day as Holiday is all-time. After all these years we've finally found someone worthy of the Lady. In all her jazzy blue notes. The 'Rise Up', 'Cheers To The Fall' Grammy nominated singer who we first saw on screen, on stage for the late, great Chadwick Boseman's 'Marshall' biopic is more than just an amazing artist, nuanced in filling in the notes. She really gets into the skin of Billie with naked truth in her ambition. So much so you forget it's not her like Jamie in the as raw 'Ray'. From the tracks on her arms to the tears that barely escape the eyes of a clenched face that will not turn the other cheek to a raised fist. Giving as good as she got, Holiday fought through all the work. From trying to bear fruit on stage to trying to bear with boyfriend after husband, and liar after cheat of many men who didn't wish death on her, but were practically killing her with their hands. Whether balled up, or sleight of in deception. The kind of betrayal doesn't come just with sleeping with another, but making your bed with the feds. So many men were under the influence of either government officials, or America versus them marginalizing them so much they took it out on the one person they should have stood behind. But Billie doesn't give a f###! If you can't stand behind me, don't stand in front of me. To think the only one in the end who was really loyal to her was the federal agent who was originally working her. By 'Moonlight', it's that breakout star Trevante Rhodes who really makes his mark next to Holiday over her calendars, in this biopic that circles their romance with a heart this valentines. Making love the right way. Rhodes may look like he could bench press a God, but one third of Barry Jenkins' moon-far from a crescent-is a scholar of thespians. Present in the soul of heart he brings to this brutally brooding jazz riff.

"Here is a fruit for the crow to pluck

For the rain to wither, for the wind to suck

For the sun to rot, for the trees to drop

Here is a strange and bitter crop."

We still live in a world were burning crosses are left on peoples lawns and even Kings like James have the 'n' word spray painted on the walls of their castle whilst they're out literally building schools for our collective future. All I can ask is why? Nothing comes as a surprise these days now. But it's never any easier. It only gets harder. Just like how we'll fight until there's justice for all like the constitution that failed so many people promised. And a pivotal scene of a shocking discovery in a backyard that leads through doors of memories and pain is truly heartbreaking and something that will blindside you more than anything nominated this season. So much so you wish you couldn't see. As you understand why this light often took it to the candle after all this darkness led her to a silver spoon that had nothing to do with privilege, but the devil's work. Still amongst this war on drugs is the real poison running through the veins of America, racism. You can even see it in Spielberg's 'West Side Story', tonight, tonight. Even if that film feels pretty. So kind as an ally, getting into the ground of Dee Rees' 'Mudbound' (those bonding moments with Jason Mitchell are amongst the most beautiful), a dirty Garrett Hedlund as Hoover's mutt is so good at being abhorrent you'll hate this heartthrob. Whilst on the flip side, whilst on the ropes, anyone would be lucky to have Miss Lawrence and Da'Vine Joy Randolph of 'Dolemite Is My Name' in their corner between the bulbs of the half before going on stage like entering a ring. Or the circus like a lions den. But these are no smokey tears of a clown. It's a miracle Billie Holiday made it this far. But thanks to friends she did. Some tween between what's best for her and not. Like the still complex, even with less time to be fleshed out, 'American Pie' famous face of Netflix's 'Orange Is The New Black' and 'Russian Doll' (what a concept) Natasha Lyonne, exploring Billie's bisexuality briefly. Small in role, but significant in its stature like Evan Ross of the 'Mockingjay' parts of 'The Hunger Games' and the 'Crazy, Sexy, Cool' TLC story's copped role behind the desk. And some are down for her even when she messes up and puts them in the same hole. Like the grown and matured Tyler James Williams (it really is the "feel old yet" end of the world when the young Chris Rock from 'Everybody Hates Chris' is now 30. But anyone would love him now). Legends like Adriane Lenox give even more gravitas to this cinematic canvas too. Like she did a 'Bruised' Halle Berry for Netflix. Just like Netflix's veteran role player Rob Morgan who we wouldn't be surprised if he was in that film too (he wasn't, it was Sandra Bullock's 'Unforgivable' drama that you have to give another chance), is also here, but not welcome...at least in character. No one brings more hard worked roles than this 'Mudbound' actor with grit, steeped in burgeoning greatness (DO look up!). And all this is all storytold in crackling frame to the tapes of journalistic interview by 'Will and Grace's' Leslie Jordan. Daniels dynamic cast and direction makes this movie on Holiday's complex and compelling story no vacation. But why should it be? Her hard but inspirational life is one that needs to be told in all it's truth and the kind of hidden horrors that probably followed behind all the closed doors as Billie kicked so many in, notoriously. Movies about jazz icons are always this offbeat. See a 'Born To Be Blue', best in show Ethan Hawke. Or Don Cheadle's Miles Davis passion project that is all about him stealing back some records with Ewan McGregor, that like this is 'Miles Ahead' the usual paint by numbers biographys. With its own autonomy behind the notes, this goes off on its own tangent like the nature of the genre. But it's still so tangible and vital to the terrible world we one day want to leave behind like fading cigarette smoke into the dust of a curbside window as the light shines from above. In that year that we will never forget, 2020, just two years ago. In a world were we took to the streets in the name of Black Lives that will always Matter. Risking our own during the pandemic to fight an even greater disease in racism. A revised version of the Justice for Victims of Lynching Act in name of Emmett Till and countless that came after him was once again presented to the Senate like it was in '37. It did not pass. TIM DAVID HARVEY. 

Further Filming: 'Respect', 'Ray', 'The Butler'.