MPAA Rating: R/Genre: Docudrama/ Stars: Andra Day, Trevante Rhodes, Natasha Lyonne, Garrett Hedlund, Miss Lawrence, Rob Morgan, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Evan Ross, Tyler James Williams, Tone Bell, Erik LaRay Harvey, Melvin Gregg, Dana Gourrier, Leslie Jordan/Runtime: 130 minutes
I think it is safe to start this review off by saying that darn near every single entry in the genre of movie magic known as the biopic finds itself hitting headfirst the same brick wall time and time again. That of course being that more often than not a person’s life does not operate like a typical narrative should. Indeed it is the fact that most film helmers are fully aware of this which sees them take the road less traveled in the form of finding and operating with a key event or 2 (like 2015’s Steve Jobs) which show us every facet of said person and gives us the opportunity to learn more about them than the vast majority of meandering biopics could hope to pull off especially if only given a runtime of 2 hours or less (hence my exclusion of 2015’s Straight Outta Compton and 1992’s Malcolm X respectively). Yet even with the road less traveled there is still pothole and pratfalls to be found and in the case of this road it is that the film helmer winds up conjuring up something that feels more like a “greatest hits” list rather than an honest-to-goodness narrative. Yes there are other slices of cinematic pie that this describes very well, but I heartily believe that this is also a great description for just what goes wrong with film helmer Lee Daniels’ latest slice of cinematic pie, in partnership with Hulu, The United States vs. Billie Holiday. Indeed I say that because, due to being equipped with both a non-linear narrative as well as a desire to immerse you in in the life of the titular performer in the time span of (including credits) 2 hours and 10 minutes, this new slice of cinematic pie feels way too all over the place not only in regards to its narrative, but also in how it chooses to tell us said narrative as well. Yes the film is blessed with being rooted in a truly phenomenal performance by Andra Day as Miss Holiday, but the rest of the movie is so scattered that it is not able to conjure up consistency in either tempo or flow and thus transforms what could have been a truly incredible cinematic experience into one that is a tragically frustrating misfire.
The plot is as follows: Now as it is told to us courtesy of the written word at the beginning of this distinct slice of cinematic pie, the main issue or conflict that can be found at the heart of this film is a song performed by Miss Holiday known as “Strange Fruit”. A song that incidentally is a key song in her discography that was first recorded all the way back in the long-gone year of 1939 and one that, upon being performed for the masses, was almost immediately seen as rubbing a lot of people the wrong way due in no small part to the fact that the song makes quite a few explicit references to that heinous atrocity known as lynching which, at the time, was still tragically occurring in the South of the United States. To that end, we soon see as Miss Holiday’s performance manage to stir up quite the hornet’s nest with the federal government to the point that the head of the Federal Bureau of Narcotics, one Harry Anslinger makes it his personal mission to shut her down posthaste. A mission that is actually aided incidentally by the fact that Holiday is apparently addicted to a teeny tiny thing known as heroin and which winds up getting the iconic singer locked up for no less than a year. Upon her release however, we see Holiday attempt not only a big comeback at the esteemed Carnegie Hall, but also fight for her right to sing her controversial tune and to be free once and for all of the drug that landed her in trouble in the first place…
Now having looked that over, I can see how after writing that on my end and reading that on your end of things that layout of this slice of cinematic pie’s plot might just be the most straight and to the point that I have ever written for one of these reviews. Yet in all fairness that is also because I was trying to do my carpal-tunnel stricken hands and your respective attention spans a favor and give you a straight to the point description of what this slice of cinematic pie is about due to the fact that there is so much more going on in this film. I say that because whilst yes the main narrative at play in this slice of cinematic pie does involve the issues dealing with the song “Strange Fruit” that eventually see the law in the form of the federal government come a’calling is a subplot that sees a young man working with the Bureau by the name of Jimmy Fletcher and his personal journey from busting Miss Holiday to finding himself falling in love with her instead. Yet not content with giving the movie’s main character a single and semi-decently established love interest, this slice of cinematic pie also decides to showcase for movie goers the time that Holliday spent with an actress by the name of Tallulah Bankhead as well as a literal revolving door set of less than desirable relationships with a group of men including James Monroe, John Levy, and Louis McKay. Oh and I almost forgot: there’s also an oddly straight out of left field inserted framing device involving a radio interview with Reginald Lord Devine as well as not just full blown musical numbers which seem like they were put in so you, the viewer could get a hint of just how immensely talented Holiday was, but also a truly trippy odyssey that takes us all the way back to when our main heroine was a little girl. Oh and this all occurs with jarring jumps throughout time (and space apparently) to moments in this woman’s life that this slice of cinematic pie feels are integral….all in the time span of 2 hrs and 10 minutes (including credits). Therefore, if you haven’t figured out just what I have been politely yet firmly hinting at throughout this whole paragraph it would have to be the fact that this slice of cinematic pie is literally, from a narrative perspective, a horrendous and massive mess. Yes this movie is one that manages to still gel to some extent despite its glaring lack of a “traditional narrative structure” as some purists would tell you and yes this lack of structure does help make some of the bigger moments in the life of this slice of cinematic pie’s heroine that are shown stand out that much more, it also really doesn’t make this a 110% enjoyable viewing. Rather one that if you had the DVD/Blu-Ray of you would just skip around to get to the good parts lest they have a bottle of Tylenol handy to help them get through the headache that is the remaining 80-85% of this movie.
Now given how it chooses to approach the story of Miss Holiday, it is my distinct opinion that this slice of cinematic pie would have been aided immensely if it’s aesthetic throughout was ever changing thus helping those who watch the movie distinguish between when events were supposed to be occurring on the timeline. Instead what the audience is given as hit or miss as the story. Yes transitions are utilized every now and then, but there really is no rhyme or reason to anything including the aforementioned transitions thus making this feel like a game of Jenga just before everything comes crashing down. Yet whilst there is quite a bit about this movie that doesn’t ever give the viewer the vibe that it has even the faintest idea of what it is trying to accomplish, there is one thing in this movie that is riveting and electrifying throughout and that is the lead performance given to us by Miss Andra Day. Indeed this slice of cinematic pie might be her first time leading a movie, but I guarantee you wouldn’t know it if I hadn’t told you since she handles this role with style, grace, confidence, and just being formidable in the pathos department as well. Indeed this is the kind of role that requires quite a bit in the way of range seeing as the main character is both a powerhouse performer and also someone who did a fair amount of drugs and went through quite a bit in regards to her personal life, but Day proves to be downright magnetic and manages to contribute a human component to a legend that helps ensure that, flaws with the overall movie aside, this is one truly winning and riveting performance.
All in all so as I said before…who’s got the Tylenol? Jokes aside, I think it should be said that the distinct slice of cinematic pie that is The United States vs. Billie Holiday is one that honestly does not give off the vibe that it is a movie which was constructed on a legibly written screenplay by a person of some degree or another of professionalism, but more like it was one that was constructed on a set of badly scribbled Cliff’s notes that were then cut up by scissors, scattered, and then left for the filmmaking crew to assemble as best as they could. Yes, in all fairness, this slice of cinematic pie does give audiences a more immersive glance into a life that was truly the dictionary definition of complex and yes it does also regale us with a narrative that, when looking at the bigger picture, does seem like it is one that deserves to be brought to life on the silver screen. At the same time however, this slice of cinematic pie also doesn’t always feel like it has a strong comprehension on either what it is wanting to say to movie goers or even get across to them for that matter about this truly iconic performer. Yes by the time this slice of cinematic pie concludes and the credits begin to roll you most likely, I’m guessing, will have a higher degree of respect and understanding for the trials and tribulations that Holiday went through during her time in the spotlight as well as have a vivid interest in seeing just what exactly the delightful performer that is Miss Andra Day decides to embark on next in her truly just getting started career, but by and large this distinct slice of cinematic pie just doesn’t gel on the level that is vital in making sure it is able to leave a proper impact on you, the viewer and given Miss Day’s performance and the pedigree of talent involved on both sides of the camera that is no more and no less than a complete and utter sigh-worthy disappointment. On a scale of 1-5 I give The United States vs. Billie Holiday a solid 2.5 out of 5.
