TIFF 2020: One Night in Miami..
tiff 2020
On the night of February 25, 1964, Cassius Clay (Eli Goree) defeats Sonny Liston to become the Heavyweight Champion of the World. Sam Cooke (Leslie Odom Jr.), Jim Brown (Aldis Hodge) and Malcolm X (Kingsley Ben-Adir) join him to celebrate his win, a gathering of the most important African-American cultural figures of their time. These men were all friends in real life, but their conversations are fictionalised, adapted from Kemp Powers’ debut play One Night in Miami. Each of these men are at pivotal points in their lives, Cassius Clay is in the process of becoming a Muslim, while Malcolm X considers leaving The National of Islam. Jim Brown is transitioning from his football career to the acting world, while singer Sam Cooke is trying to break into segregated spaces. Powers’ one-act play asks what would these giants of Black culture discuss if they were all together.
While Regina King has sat in the director’s chair many times before, One Night in Miami is her first feature film. It begins slow, taking ample time to convey the backgrounds of these men. She masterfully notes the lives of these men before bringing them together. While the pacing may be off, King and Powers need this exposition time to show each man’s beliefs and ideals so the audience can understand why they may agree or disagree with one another. While most would expect an opulent affair to celebrate Clay’s title win, Malcolm X has ulterior motives, only celebrating with two pints of vanilla ice cream. His true intentions are to ask his friends to use their platforms to empower Black people; while all can agree with him, its the details on how to accomplish that where arguments flourish.
King and Powers show that, while all of these men may be Black figures, they have different world views. Much of the film’s tension comes with the relationship between Malcolm X and Sam Cooke, their lifestyles juxtaposed as the audience sees Cooke’s extravagant digs and X’s simple motel arrangements. With the singer trying to break onto the stage at the Copacabana, Malcolm X accuses Cooke of pandering to white folks, telling him “You will never be loved by the people you’re trying to win over.” Cooke lashes out at Malcolm, accusing him of being too radical, and criticizes the politics of The Nation of Islam. Meanwhile, Cassius Clay struggles with the idea of becoming a Muslim, and Malcolm X attempts to coerce him into joining The Nation of Islam, yet also contemplates leaving the organization himself. Jim Brown looms over them all as a calming presence, mitigating the tension.
Regina King skillfully extracts impeccable performances from each and every one of her leading men. Remember: these men are friends, so the arguments are lightened up with playful ribs and laughs as their conversations continue throughout the night. Each of the actors work well off each other, giving striking performances of some of history’s most iconic Black figures. Hodge’s Jim Brown is quiet but still maintains an imposing presence, his character just on the cusp of transition. Leslie Odom Jr. has a surefire Oscar nomination for his portrayal of Sam Cooke, perfectly capturing the singer’s cadence. He starts carefree but shows more depth as Cooke and X hash out their differences. Goree and Ben-Adir have harder jobs, since Muhammad Ali and Malcolm X have been portrayed on screen in iconic performances by Will Smith and Denzel Washingston. Goree managers to differ himself enough while still embodying Cassius Clay while Ben-Adir’s Malcolm X is calmer than Washington’s. This is the Malcolm X of his friends, not the masses.
One Night in Miami often feels constrained by its play origins. Rarely do we leave the hotel room, but King knows the exact moment to add in a flashback to freshen up the pacing. Despite playing larger than life men, the performances remain grounded. Even though Cassius Clay, Malcolm X, Jim Brown and Sam Cooke are often on the verge of another spat, the love between them in clear. They all care for one another and care about the movement. One Night In Miami is timely, it is interesting to consider what these men are thinking and what they believe. While these men have their differences, they all care about Black lives – as should we all.