Respect, the explosive biopic of Aretha Franklin, has it all
The music biopic is a subgenre fraught with obstacles. First, you have to find the right lead – a Janis Joplin film has been in development for years with everyone from Amy Adams to Pink attached. Secondly, you have to secure the back catalogue – last year’s Stardust failed to capture the spirit of David Bowie partly because it couldn’t use any of his songs. Thirdly, you have to find the truth. It’s likely that a beloved act will also have a legacy to protect, meaning any portrayals will have to be in a positive light. This is why, as toe-tapping as it was, Bohemian Rhapsody became the promotion of a brand rather than an exploration of the facts.
Hoping to tick all boxes is Respect, the biopic of the late Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin. Reassuringly, the singer herself was involved with the project right up to her death, and found a perfect star in Jennifer Hudson. With a powerful presence both musically and dramatically, the Oscar winner seems tailor made for the part, but can the right story accompany her?
Brought to the screen by experienced theatre director Liesel Tommy, Respect covers two decades from 1952 to 1972. The first chapter deals with Franklin’s childhood years, living under the control of her father (Forest Whitaker) and experiencing the trauma of losing her beloved mother (Audra McDonald). We then follow the teenage and adult singer (Hudson) during her early days as an unsuccessful artist; her tempestuous relationship with her first husband (Marlon Wayans) that would bring professional success but more personal abuse and misery; and the strength that would help her overpower her demons to become an icon of music.
At around 140 minutes, Respect packs a lot in, and it’s difficult to judge them for that. How do you condense the life where performing at Dr. King’s funeral and President Obama’s inauguration are not even the most interesting moments? With so much to delve through, Liesl sticks to a familiar biopic structure – the childhood trauma, the early struggles, the hotel room bust ups. There’s a hell of a story to tell here, and the filmmaker opts for a more linear path rather than trying to reinvent the wheel. The consequence is sometimes it can feel like a history lesson, but when the high notes come they make it all worthwhile.
Early on, a mentor of Franklin (Tituss Burgess) tells her “music will save your life”. This is more than hollow sentiment, as we see how artistry carried her through the darkest moments. We don’t see Hudson until twenty minutes into Respect, but she arrives during a glorious gospel number that is worthy of the star she is portraying. We peek at her concerts from behind the stage or among the audience, and it feels electric. We sit in on Franklin and her sisters as they re-arrange an Otis Redding song into what we now know as the title track. One thing the drama never lets you forget is what a genius she was on stage and in the recording studio.
Embodying a figure as formidable as Franklin is no easy task, but Hudson is equal to it. Her musical talents have been evident since her award-winning breakthrough in 2007’s Dreamgirls, but to slide into the shoes and fabulous gowns of someone like Aretha Franklin takes a special kind of performance. At times, the script threatens to define the lead character through her relationships with men, but there’s a fire behind Hudson’s eyes that shows you who she is.
Respect’s supporting cast has many highlights as well. Whitaker and Wayans perfectly portray the complex nature of abuse, despite playing very different men. The power games, justifications, and rage stemming from deep insecurity are all effectively played, as is the brief but memorable tenderness of McDonald’s appearance. Comedian Marc Maron is carving an interesting niche for himself as a grizzled exec, playing producer Jerry Wexler much the same way he did Ron Oberman in Stardust.
The acid test for any music biopic is the end, when usually some footage of the real-life person is played and serves as a comparison. For Respect, it shows the effort that has gone into making a film that reflects the impact of Franklin’s life. A second Oscar for Hudson seems a good bet, and if the Queen Of Soul is watching she will likely nodding in approval of getting the R-E-S-P-E-C-T she deserves.
Respect is in cinemas from 10th September