Disclaimer: I live in the Augusta area. I know a band that James Brown "robbed" members from. I am also acquainted with one of his off spring and the town of Elko, SC where he was born. Basically none of them want anything to do with him. This film shows the "likeable" James Brown.
The production opens with a series of flashbacks and time warps and eventually settles on a chronological tale. It starts with Brown's miserable childhood, working for a brothel, his early arrest and being "discovered" by Little Richard from Macon. The film touches on his women beating, troubles with drugs, difficult boss, run-in with the law, and basically being a disagreeable person who knows exactly what he wants down to the iota details.
People who are close to James Brown agree that Chadwick Boseman nailed it, especially the on stage performance.
Parental Guidance: About 2 f-bombs (No one says FU to James Brown.) Brief sex. No nudity. Brown slaps a woman off screen.
PLOT SPOILERS/Other local stuff: In the film it shows James Brown slapping his wife for showing too much cleavage. She didn't stop showing cleavage and spent a lot of time at the cosmetic counter buying make-up to cover her bruises. When James Brown's mother got old, he moved her into a nursing home in South Carolina. He would go visit her after church every Sunday. He attended church in Elko and his childhood shack was located behind the church, although the Elko folks claim he wasn't born there as claimed on Wikipedia, but in nearby Snelling. His style of singing did not bode well in church and caused people to cringe as his voice echoed from the rear of the church.
Waitress's do not remember Mr. Brown fondly as he demanded perfection in his food and would sometimes take it upon himself to show the cook how to prepare a dish. Mr. Brown would frequently attend the ball games of his grandson. The locals knew who he was and respected his privacy at the games. He would sign autographs when asked, which was infrequent.
The production opens with a series of flashbacks and time warps and eventually settles on a chronological tale. It starts with Brown's miserable childhood, working for a brothel, his early arrest and being "discovered" by Little Richard from Macon. The film touches on his women beating, troubles with drugs, difficult boss, run-in with the law, and basically being a disagreeable person who knows exactly what he wants down to the iota details.
People who are close to James Brown agree that Chadwick Boseman nailed it, especially the on stage performance.
Parental Guidance: About 2 f-bombs (No one says FU to James Brown.) Brief sex. No nudity. Brown slaps a woman off screen.
PLOT SPOILERS/Other local stuff: In the film it shows James Brown slapping his wife for showing too much cleavage. She didn't stop showing cleavage and spent a lot of time at the cosmetic counter buying make-up to cover her bruises. When James Brown's mother got old, he moved her into a nursing home in South Carolina. He would go visit her after church every Sunday. He attended church in Elko and his childhood shack was located behind the church, although the Elko folks claim he wasn't born there as claimed on Wikipedia, but in nearby Snelling. His style of singing did not bode well in church and caused people to cringe as his voice echoed from the rear of the church.
Waitress's do not remember Mr. Brown fondly as he demanded perfection in his food and would sometimes take it upon himself to show the cook how to prepare a dish. Mr. Brown would frequently attend the ball games of his grandson. The locals knew who he was and respected his privacy at the games. He would sign autographs when asked, which was infrequent.