THE life story of legendary soul singer James Brown is a complicated one. Brown is as well-known for being a musical genius as he is for being a tyrannical, abusive bandleader and spouse. The man who grew up in abject poverty in South Carolina and Georgia danced, sang and shouted his way into a world of fame, fortune and greatness. Not satisfied with just being a performer, Brown grabbed the reins of his management in order to maximise business opportunities and ownership.

A man who was known and respected for his business acumen early in his career, Brown was mocked in his later years for poor business decisions and tax problems. He was able to stop violence in the aftermath of the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. but was unable to quiet the chaos that dwelled inside him or quell his penchant for violence against women. Director Tate Taylor (The Help) and screenwriters Jez and John-Henry Butterworth (Edge of Tomorrow) do an admirable job of capturing the demons and the delight of James Brown in the highly anticipated biopic Get on Up.

Thanks to the acting chops of Chadwick Boseman (42), who seems to be building a career playing iconic figures, Brown’s duality is on full display throughout the film. Boseman, whose stoic performance as Jackie Robinson in 42 reflected the self-restraint required of Robinson in his quest to break the colour barrier in baseball, is set free in his depiction of the Godfather of Soul. In Get on Up, Boseman — who practised six hours a day to nail the legendary performer’s signature dance moves — unleashes the passion, rage and genius of Brown, who was obsessed with bringing the funk to the world.

Academy Award winner Octavia Spencer and Oscar-nominated actress Viola Davis do what they do: offer superb performances with seriously limited screen time as the troubled women of Brown’s childhood. Davis’ turn as Brown’s tormented mother, Susie, is reminiscent of Davis’ tour de force performance as Mrs Miller in the film Doubt (2008). The gut-wrenching scene in which Susie resurfaces after Brown has become a superstar demonstrates Boseman’s skill as an actor and certifies that Davis is the best actress working in Hollywood right now.

Nelsan Ellis, of True Blood fame, gives a stellar performance as Bobby Byrd, Brown’s underappreciated and fiercely loyal best friend. Ellis’ matter-of-fact portrayal of Byrd adds value to a film rife with dramatic performances. In the way that Byrd was the yin to Brown’s yang in real life, Ellis’ staid performance complements Boseman’s during their many shared scenes.

Film and music buffs will get a kick out of seeing soul singers Jill Scott, Aloe Blacc and rapper-musician Black Thought playing a variety of Brown’s musical peers, but will also lament the exclusion of Brown’s contemporary Tammi Terrell, a singer with the voice of an angel, who had a tumultuous relationship with Brown at the peak of their careers.

While Brown’s GOP leanings and bootstrap philosophy were never mentioned in the film, the film-makers made sure to expose viewers to Brown’s connection to politics, social change and making a way out of no way. With rock-and-roll legend Mick Jagger serving as a producer on the film, along with the Reverend Al Sharpton and Nelson George as consultants, Get on Up does an excellent job of showing the unpredictable conditions black performers like Brown faced when trying to make great music.

Get on Up is peppered with historic scenes, like Brown’s performances on the T.A.M.I. Show and at the world-famous Apollo Theatre. With amazing musical and acting performances, the film will have you ready to dance in the aisles and cry your eyes out simultaneously. Brown sums it up best: “Ain’t nothing to cry about. I’m James Brown.”

—By arrangement with The Root-The Washington Post

Published in Dawn, August 2nd, 2014