Black Nativity Review
RYAN: You know if I had it my way, we’d have several new movie musicals coming out all the time – and aside from The Sapphires, this Spring, which I loved, and Frozen, which I loved, and Inside Llewyn Davis, which I’ve seen but haven’t reviewed yet, this is really the only other musical this year. I’m glad for it.
CAROLINE: We do love a good musical. And it’s J.Hud’s first one since winning Oscar gold for Dreamgirls.
RYAN: Yes. And this one is good – but it’s a bit rough getting into.
CAROLINE: How so?
RYAN: Actually it’s only 90 minutes long and for the full first half of the film, I was thinking it was pretty bad and I was worried about it. But then almost exactly halfway though it totally hooks you. Not only because the music is good, which it is, but because the drama really sinks it’s teeth.
CAROLINE: Oh that’s interesting. There are some great actors in the cast though, LBH, let’s be honest.
RYAN: Yes Forest Whitaker and Angela Bassett are great in everything, aren’t they?
CAROLINE: Pretty much. How are they as singers, though?
RYAN: Good. Forest is a better singer than Angela but she hits it and you can feel her own sense of accomplishment in her performance. I mean, she was brillz in What’s Love Got to Do with It, so we already knew she could move and lip-sync, but she did sing on her own here.
CAROLINE: And of course, Jen and Mary J. Blige nailed it, I’m sure?
RYAN: One hundred percent. Jen just tears it up. Mary J doesn’t have a huge role but her one number is great and her fans will love it. And the boy – Jacob Latimore – is actually wonderful. It’s no small feat to stand out among a cast of A-listers and he manages it. I was impressed. And he’s from Milwaukee originally. He once worked with my brother.
CAROLINE: Small world. You interviewed the cast for this movie too.
RYAN: Yeah they were all super cool – even Tyrese. He’s actually quite good in the film. He has a scene that got me choked up a bit.
CAROLINE: That’s rare for you.
RYAN: Totally. This movie is an interesting mix of dialogue, poetry and music. And since it’s partly set in Harlem, with snow and music, it reminded me in those moments of the movie The Wiz, which also partly took place in Harlem, with snow and music.
CAROLINE: Only you are going to think that because you’re obsessed with all things Oz.
RYAN: True. Had to mention it. There are some fantasy aspects to the film but it all relates to the themes which are about spirituality, family ties and forgiveness. It’s very strong at the end in a hard-hitting way and I ended up loving it.
