Chadwick Boseman as James Brown in “Get On Up”
Get On Up | PG-13
James Brown had almost as many nicknames as he did hits. He was variously known as: “The Godfather of Soul” and “The Hardest Working Man in Show Business,” “Soul Brother No. 1,” and “Mr. Dynamite.” Chadwick Boseman (Jackie Robinson in 42) captures Brown in all his various incarnations in this long-awaited bio-pic. Nelsan Ellis is Brown’s best friend Bobby Byrd, Octavia Spencer is Viola Davis and Dan Akroyd is Ben Bart, Brown’s manager. The film is a retrospective of Brown’s rise and fall and return to the limelight. Critics liked it well enough, but complained it focused too much on Brown, the personality, and less on Brown the musician and social activist. Blu-ray $19.99 and DVD $16.99. Get On Up is available on Jan. 6.
