When this was on TV the other night, I expected to stick out about two minutes of it. Being a follower of Tarantino, all I'd heard recently of Spike Lee was wholly negative. In addition, I know nothing of black culture and/or jazz. Imagine my surprise then when, two hours later, I found myself entirely intoxicated by the blend of atmosphere, empathy, humour and pure depth of character and relationship in this exceptional movie. Next up, I'm watching all his other movies... Quentin, make your peace!
39 Reviews
Bleeek!
capncruller25 May 2014
This was a frustrating movie for me because it was at times brilliant, yet there are a few things that could have been done better.
Spike Lee shows why he is revered as a writer director, with beautiful dynamic shots, intercut with smooth jazz. It is a charming presentation. Also the dialogue is interesting and feels natural and spontaneous. The combination of strong writing and acting makes for interesting conversations.
The things I found frustrating was the lack of a focused or interesting story. Also Spike Lee's performance was very weak compared to Denzel's and he should have stayed out of the movie. He actually took a lot of the attention from the other characters and tried to make the movie about himself.
Spike Lee shows why he is revered as a writer director, with beautiful dynamic shots, intercut with smooth jazz. It is a charming presentation. Also the dialogue is interesting and feels natural and spontaneous. The combination of strong writing and acting makes for interesting conversations.
The things I found frustrating was the lack of a focused or interesting story. Also Spike Lee's performance was very weak compared to Denzel's and he should have stayed out of the movie. He actually took a lot of the attention from the other characters and tried to make the movie about himself.
Spike's cool, modern poem to jazz
JawsOfJosh3 November 2000
After the commercial and critical success of "Do The Right Thing," in which Lee announced his arrival as a major player, he choose to follow up his breakthrough with a more personal film. If you examine history, it seems all iconoclasts choose to do so after their first big success ("The Conversation," "Close Encounters Of The Third Kind," "Talk Radio"), and Lee decided to pay homage to what he's always referred to simply as "the music." Set in then-present day 1990, "Mo' Better Blues" tells the tale of Denzel Washington as Bleek Gilliam, a selfish trumpeter who fronts his own jazz quintet in an upscale Brooklyn club. The strength of the film deals with Bleek juggling his loyalties. On the love side, Bleek is caught between two women; Clarke is a sexy bombshell in constant need of Bleek's attention who's too busy centering in on his music. She's also an aspiring singer hoping Bleek will give her a chance to shine. Bleek, obviously, does not want to share the spotlight. Indigo is a thoughtful schoolteacher who is not fragile with Bleek's tremendous ego but is careful with his somewhat callous heart. At work, Bleek is wrestling with a hungry band demanding pay raises given the success they're achieving at the "Beneath The Underdog" club. Clumsily working towards the band's raise is Giant, Bleek's lifelong friend and incompetent manager, who also has a considerable gambling problem. Bleek must decide whether to trust Giant or risk losing his band, while deciding how long he can keep up the game between Indigo and Clarke.
This, simply, is one of my favorite Lee films. Thank God someone finally made a jazz film for the late 20th century, jazz had not received a proper modern makeover since 1961's "Paris Blues." Lee creates a wonderful, intimate world set off by moody lighting in shades of red, yellow and blue. His camera and editing - which was spontaneous and lively in "Do The Right Thing" - is slow and deliberate here, carefully punctuated in all the right places. This film marked the debut of some of Lee's trademark camera moves, including the 'gliding sidewalk' dolly and his slow-spin-upward pans.
Like his previous films, Lee is adept and balancing out scenes between comedy and drama. A lot of the 'band' scenes are engagingly funny, mostly guy talk with a spin of that "cool daddy jazz vibe" added. Lee is also skillful at making Bleek the antagonist of the film without rendering him completely unlikable. The "Love Supreme" montage ending seemed to stretch the film for longer than some would have liked, but I feel it was justified in order to illustrate the beauty and necessity of Bleek's redemption. Lee was also smart to reduce screen time given to the film's true protagonist, saxophonist Shadow Henderson (rendered with cool, suave sophistication by Wesley Snipes), in order to keep the audience focused on Bleek. You will also get a delicious sampling of great jazz in this film if you're a novice to such. Aside from the concert numbers written and performed by Branford Marsalis and the dreamy jazz score by Lee's father, Bill, there are great pieces by John Coltrane, Miles Davis and Dizzy Gillespie, among others. A cool, sexy film.
This, simply, is one of my favorite Lee films. Thank God someone finally made a jazz film for the late 20th century, jazz had not received a proper modern makeover since 1961's "Paris Blues." Lee creates a wonderful, intimate world set off by moody lighting in shades of red, yellow and blue. His camera and editing - which was spontaneous and lively in "Do The Right Thing" - is slow and deliberate here, carefully punctuated in all the right places. This film marked the debut of some of Lee's trademark camera moves, including the 'gliding sidewalk' dolly and his slow-spin-upward pans.
Like his previous films, Lee is adept and balancing out scenes between comedy and drama. A lot of the 'band' scenes are engagingly funny, mostly guy talk with a spin of that "cool daddy jazz vibe" added. Lee is also skillful at making Bleek the antagonist of the film without rendering him completely unlikable. The "Love Supreme" montage ending seemed to stretch the film for longer than some would have liked, but I feel it was justified in order to illustrate the beauty and necessity of Bleek's redemption. Lee was also smart to reduce screen time given to the film's true protagonist, saxophonist Shadow Henderson (rendered with cool, suave sophistication by Wesley Snipes), in order to keep the audience focused on Bleek. You will also get a delicious sampling of great jazz in this film if you're a novice to such. Aside from the concert numbers written and performed by Branford Marsalis and the dreamy jazz score by Lee's father, Bill, there are great pieces by John Coltrane, Miles Davis and Dizzy Gillespie, among others. A cool, sexy film.
Classic Insight Into The NYC Jazz World
youngman4412 December 2006
This is a very entertaining movie and it is underrated. The characters, story and music are captivating.
However, I think part of the reason for the lower ratings is the the poor camera effects. Lee focuses in on characters at times, as though they are standing and talking to a camera by themselves in some sterile room, such that it actually cheapens the film. There is a real lack of realism to this technique - it reminds me of 1960's style TV shows like Batman. It gives a feel that they ran out of money and when they had to go back and re-shoot the scene, they did so on the cheap. A minority may find this unique or appealing, but no great movie or director will use this technique. The filming with multiple characters in the shot is generally very good. But, the movie could have been better without these flaws.
The writing at times is exceptional. There are great lines, as well as very entertaining dialogue. The scenes between Denzel and Snipes are exude an extraordinary power and they offer an exceptional dynamic to the movie as a whole. The female characters are also very compelling. "Clark" (Cynda Williams) is extraordinarily attractive and the movement of the character through the course of the movie is well done.
It is difficult not to be captivated by this film. The positive cultural dynamic it captures is one that Americans can only hope to be present. Yet, one gets the feeling that reality is closer to the darker elements the movie exposes. Yet, there is ultimately a very positive message of love, responsibility.
However, I think part of the reason for the lower ratings is the the poor camera effects. Lee focuses in on characters at times, as though they are standing and talking to a camera by themselves in some sterile room, such that it actually cheapens the film. There is a real lack of realism to this technique - it reminds me of 1960's style TV shows like Batman. It gives a feel that they ran out of money and when they had to go back and re-shoot the scene, they did so on the cheap. A minority may find this unique or appealing, but no great movie or director will use this technique. The filming with multiple characters in the shot is generally very good. But, the movie could have been better without these flaws.
The writing at times is exceptional. There are great lines, as well as very entertaining dialogue. The scenes between Denzel and Snipes are exude an extraordinary power and they offer an exceptional dynamic to the movie as a whole. The female characters are also very compelling. "Clark" (Cynda Williams) is extraordinarily attractive and the movement of the character through the course of the movie is well done.
It is difficult not to be captivated by this film. The positive cultural dynamic it captures is one that Americans can only hope to be present. Yet, one gets the feeling that reality is closer to the darker elements the movie exposes. Yet, there is ultimately a very positive message of love, responsibility.
Spike Lee, ya got this one right!
Rhythm-24 December 1998
One of Spike Lee's best, "Mo Better Blues" captures the atmosphere of jazz. The soundtrack flows with the acting like a song. Denzel Washington does a great job of portraying a jazzman's quest for perfection, while living in a "real world" full of problems. Being a musician myself, I appreciated the struggle Washington's character was going through. All of Spike Lee's trademark camera angles (which I've disliked in some of his movies) worked to perfection in this movie. Great music, good acting, and a solid plot. Recommend!
very fine acting and exceptional music, so-so characterizations
Quinoa19843 March 2007
I want to recommend Mo' Better Blues more, at least to a specific crowd, than I can exactly, even though it is a good film. Spike Lee, coming right off of his seminal Do the Right Thing, is highly charged and as striking as ever in his subjective camera and direction. But the characters themselves in his script, more or less, are fairly shallow conventional players in his elaborate show. But elaborate it is, and in the realm of it being a pure jazz movie is where I can recommend this the most. Quite simply, for jazz fans, this is where it's at as far as great soundtracks go, and on top of the sensational tracks that Lee has put together, with the given greats like Coltrane, Davis, and probably Rollins in there somewhere, there's also the final musical score provided by his father, Bill. While it's not as classic and specific for all the right reasons as Do the Right Thing, there's a sense here that Bill Lee reached a high point with the sophistication of his compositions, and had he not passed on could have gone even further with his son in creating memorable orchestrations. So at the least, as a jazz fan personally more than anything, this provides some many fine moments (Lee is also very good at using excellent Coltrane tracks for love scenes, or just talking scenes, or whatever).
Unfortunately Lee doesn't have quite the same control over the sensibilities of his characters. There wasn't really much I cared about with the main character, Bleek Gilliam, played by Denzel Washington, because he's like one of those interesting yet purely shallow, self-absorbed archetypes that one's seen in many other musical dramas. There's also Wesley Snipes as Washington's rival in Bleek's quintet, where the ego rivalries flame up from time to time, usually in a macho, grandiose fashion. Then there's the 'romantic' side to Bleek, where when not practicing his horn he's practicing himself on two ladies, Cynda Williams and Joie Lee, and that he becomes a worse dog than he started out with (as Joie Lee observes, he's a "good dog" at the start, but still a dog, so perhaps one could make the point that it's the progression of a dog in the story). More intriguing, however, than the sexual mind-games that end up getting played on Bleek via his infidelities and the eventual match-up of Clark and Shadow, is Spike Lee's own Giant. Lee shows once again how limited he is as an actor, yet within those limits has carved a niche for himself in his early films that is atypical yet charming and always good for amusement. Here, as in Do the Right Thing, he does give him some dimension, and through the clichéd wormy-guy-who-owes-gambling-debts-to-gangsters sub-plot, there is truth there in how he plays it.
In fact, the acting and Lee's own determined, headstrong direction is not the problem I had with the film. If anything, this is what makes the film quite watchable, even up through the end scenes when the script becomes more and more desperate to make us care about Bleek's fate as a musician &/or lover to Indigo (I didn't care, really, due to Bleek not really earning much human dimension despite him being kinda cool in a slick way early on in the film). The actors are always dependable to follow the emotional lines to a believable fault, which is obviously part of the atmosphere Lee has on this and many other films of his; we can't imagine these characters acting any other way, even if they're a little 'too' theatrical for their own good. And I will probably like watching parts of this on TV again if it comes on just to see those wonderful shots that Lee gets at times, like the circular spin around Washington as he practices playing trumpet with just his fingers miming at the camera, or when Lee is avoiding the hoods and tries to go swiftly past the car waiting for him, or even the very Scorsesean uses of red tinting in the lighting schemes and the usage of slow motion.
So really, Mo' Better Blues has got a lot of things going for it, including a swift, cool sense of humor at times (I loved Robin Harris's bits of stand-up on stage, and the down to earth nature of the band members in smaller scenes), and a soundtrack I'd love to seek out if it were available. But it's also got some issues in how it deals honestly with making them palpable under the circumstances. Maybe that's part of it being a musical or other, but it seemed a little under-cooked despite the 2 hour plus running time. So it's surely worthwhile, if you're a die-hard Lee fan, but it's also something of a slight slump dramatically following the precedent set by the film just before (not that it's an easy film to beat as a director's best).
Unfortunately Lee doesn't have quite the same control over the sensibilities of his characters. There wasn't really much I cared about with the main character, Bleek Gilliam, played by Denzel Washington, because he's like one of those interesting yet purely shallow, self-absorbed archetypes that one's seen in many other musical dramas. There's also Wesley Snipes as Washington's rival in Bleek's quintet, where the ego rivalries flame up from time to time, usually in a macho, grandiose fashion. Then there's the 'romantic' side to Bleek, where when not practicing his horn he's practicing himself on two ladies, Cynda Williams and Joie Lee, and that he becomes a worse dog than he started out with (as Joie Lee observes, he's a "good dog" at the start, but still a dog, so perhaps one could make the point that it's the progression of a dog in the story). More intriguing, however, than the sexual mind-games that end up getting played on Bleek via his infidelities and the eventual match-up of Clark and Shadow, is Spike Lee's own Giant. Lee shows once again how limited he is as an actor, yet within those limits has carved a niche for himself in his early films that is atypical yet charming and always good for amusement. Here, as in Do the Right Thing, he does give him some dimension, and through the clichéd wormy-guy-who-owes-gambling-debts-to-gangsters sub-plot, there is truth there in how he plays it.
In fact, the acting and Lee's own determined, headstrong direction is not the problem I had with the film. If anything, this is what makes the film quite watchable, even up through the end scenes when the script becomes more and more desperate to make us care about Bleek's fate as a musician &/or lover to Indigo (I didn't care, really, due to Bleek not really earning much human dimension despite him being kinda cool in a slick way early on in the film). The actors are always dependable to follow the emotional lines to a believable fault, which is obviously part of the atmosphere Lee has on this and many other films of his; we can't imagine these characters acting any other way, even if they're a little 'too' theatrical for their own good. And I will probably like watching parts of this on TV again if it comes on just to see those wonderful shots that Lee gets at times, like the circular spin around Washington as he practices playing trumpet with just his fingers miming at the camera, or when Lee is avoiding the hoods and tries to go swiftly past the car waiting for him, or even the very Scorsesean uses of red tinting in the lighting schemes and the usage of slow motion.
So really, Mo' Better Blues has got a lot of things going for it, including a swift, cool sense of humor at times (I loved Robin Harris's bits of stand-up on stage, and the down to earth nature of the band members in smaller scenes), and a soundtrack I'd love to seek out if it were available. But it's also got some issues in how it deals honestly with making them palpable under the circumstances. Maybe that's part of it being a musical or other, but it seemed a little under-cooked despite the 2 hour plus running time. So it's surely worthwhile, if you're a die-hard Lee fan, but it's also something of a slight slump dramatically following the precedent set by the film just before (not that it's an easy film to beat as a director's best).
all dressed up with nowhere to go
mjneu598 December 2010
Spike Lee's latest 'joint' is a jazz variation of 'She's Gotta Have It', with the genders reversed: maladjusted trumpeter Bleek Gilliam (Denzel Washington) juggles two lovers while indulging an almost neurotic addiction to his music. His compulsive behavior is, presumably, a consequence of strict childhood practice habits, but if all work and no play have made Bleek a dull boy, the same can't be said of the film itself: Lee's self-conscious homage to music and fatherhood suffers from a dizzy overabundance of distracting, Scorsese-influenced 'style'. The film has been criticized for its stereotypical supporting roles, but the primary characters are likewise only skin deep. Except for some early childhood Freudian motivation, Bleek remains more or less a cipher, and his contrived, fantasy redemption (after a series of false endings, each one more lame than the last) seems tacked on only to provide a neat, symmetrical resolution.
Great film
davisdontaye17 October 2006
One of the best film's Spike Lee has ever created. Denzel Washington plays Bleek Gilliam, a selfish musician who only listens to his music. He cheats on his women and wants the spotlight only to himself. On his road to redemption he encounters betrayal, lies, and greed before he finds happiness. A happiness that comes at a heavy price. Denzel Washington and Wesley Snipes give superb performances in their roles. The supporting cast members also give terrific performances in this film. The supporting cast members include Giancarlo Esposito, Samuel L. Jackson, Bill Nunn and Spike Lee. Spike Lee gives these characters enough personality to keep this movie entertaining. Each member adds enough color commentary to the film making this a joyous event from beginning to end. Add this movie to your video collection if you haven't already.
Well shot, stylish movie, pity there isn't more about jazz in the movie
clivy9 January 2022
I watched Mo Better Blues and I thought it's held up well over the years- hard to believe it's over 30 years old now. The camera work is impressive and the design of the film is fantastic. I was stunned by the use of colour in the scene where both of Denzel Washington's love interests come to hear him play at his club.
I want to say I wanted to watch the film as someone who's loved jazz all my life. The music is very good. I wanted to see more about what jazz meant to Bleek, Shadow, and their bandmates. Bleek's dedication to his music is well portrayed, but I wanted to know how more about how they felt about playing jazz. There are several shots of posters on their walls with Coltrane and Duke Ellington and albums by Billie Holiday in their apartments. I wanted to know more about their inspirations and their drive to play jazz in the 1990s. It would have been great if the film also revealed more about the jazz scene in New York and Brooklyn including more about the fans as well as the performers.
Mo Better Blues reminded me of Born to be Blue, the 2015 biography of trumpist Chet Baker. Born to Be Blue dramatised how Baker was beaten by thugs who smashed his teeth and face, and how he struggled to regain his ability to play Mo Better Blues only shows Bleek's anguish and his attempts to recover fairly briefly: it seems Bleek gives up at his first appearance despite the support from Shadow and his former manager Giant. I was wondering how Bleek supports himself and his family afterwards. I really didn't believe Indigo would take him back after her telling Bleek how selfish he is and how she realises he only wants her because he wants her to save his life - and she must be aware his other old girlfriend is now with Shadow making a career for herself as a singer. It's nice the film ends on a happy note, but it felt a bit too pat.
One thing I want to add: Lee faced criticism for his portrayal of the Jewish clubowners. I cringed when the Flatbush brothers appeared. They are stereotypes: negative stereotypes. I'm not objecting that they were portrayed as being stingy towards Bleek, Giant, and their quartet. There were many performers who felt that they were exploited by clubowners and record industry personnel, and Giant is a poor manager. But Giant is not a stereotype of a bad manager or a stereotype of a gambling addict, he's a person. The other characters are portrayed as having more than one layer. Not Mo and Josh Flatbush: they are exactly alike, obsessed with numbers and money. Even worse they're portrayed with big glasses and big noses. I felt very let down by Spike Lee.
I want to say I wanted to watch the film as someone who's loved jazz all my life. The music is very good. I wanted to see more about what jazz meant to Bleek, Shadow, and their bandmates. Bleek's dedication to his music is well portrayed, but I wanted to know how more about how they felt about playing jazz. There are several shots of posters on their walls with Coltrane and Duke Ellington and albums by Billie Holiday in their apartments. I wanted to know more about their inspirations and their drive to play jazz in the 1990s. It would have been great if the film also revealed more about the jazz scene in New York and Brooklyn including more about the fans as well as the performers.
Mo Better Blues reminded me of Born to be Blue, the 2015 biography of trumpist Chet Baker. Born to Be Blue dramatised how Baker was beaten by thugs who smashed his teeth and face, and how he struggled to regain his ability to play Mo Better Blues only shows Bleek's anguish and his attempts to recover fairly briefly: it seems Bleek gives up at his first appearance despite the support from Shadow and his former manager Giant. I was wondering how Bleek supports himself and his family afterwards. I really didn't believe Indigo would take him back after her telling Bleek how selfish he is and how she realises he only wants her because he wants her to save his life - and she must be aware his other old girlfriend is now with Shadow making a career for herself as a singer. It's nice the film ends on a happy note, but it felt a bit too pat.
One thing I want to add: Lee faced criticism for his portrayal of the Jewish clubowners. I cringed when the Flatbush brothers appeared. They are stereotypes: negative stereotypes. I'm not objecting that they were portrayed as being stingy towards Bleek, Giant, and their quartet. There were many performers who felt that they were exploited by clubowners and record industry personnel, and Giant is a poor manager. But Giant is not a stereotype of a bad manager or a stereotype of a gambling addict, he's a person. The other characters are portrayed as having more than one layer. Not Mo and Josh Flatbush: they are exactly alike, obsessed with numbers and money. Even worse they're portrayed with big glasses and big noses. I felt very let down by Spike Lee.
Melodrama in Dullsville. Spike's sour note.
st-shot22 March 2008
Things get dull early an often in this in this mawkish jazz bio fiction written and directed by Spike Lee.
Bleek Gilliam (Denzell Washington) is a happenin' jazz trumpeter that fronts a quintet packing them in at Below the Underdog. His problems include an incompetent manager, a stage hogging sax player and two girlfriends that he's playing musical mattress with. The real love of his life though is his trumpet and his music. The band's manager, Giant, has a dangerous gambling problem and proves to be an ineffective negotiator with greedy club owners and would be best jettisoned but Bleek remains loyal for as long as possible. It will prove to his undoing as an artist but ironically contribute to his growth as a man.
As Bleek, Denzell Washington is all wrong as the ambitious trumpeter with a babe on each arm. He's too sweet a guy to be so self centered about his art, dispensing patience and love to those close to him with a low key remoteness. He simply lacks the fire. Wesley Snipes who plays Henderson the sax player would have been far more suited for the role but even he would have to mouth the flaccid throw away scribblings of Lee's torpid dialogue. As Giant, Lee hits the trifecta with an abysmal performance to match his writing and direction. Loosely attempting to mirror the grubby but sympathetic Ratso Rizzo to Bleek's Joe Buck he adopts a limp and even the "I'm walkin' here" moment from Midnight Cowboy. In this case you wish the taxi would run him over and be done with it.
Lee's script is all tepid argument, heavy handed ribbing and veiled insult with some requisite clumsy editorializing that Lee has to inject to remain down. The scenes between the band members backstage and in rehearsal lack spark and are only surpassed in dreariness by the Bleek, Giant conversations that have an ad lib look and go in circles. Completing this travesty is Lee's pretentious visual style. Tracking shots, zooms and pans are wasted and without significance to scenes. They just wander.
Blues is Lee's love letter to jazz (made implicit by the mountains of memorabilia plastered all over the sets) and it's all sentimental clap trap that lacks passion and verve. Jazz on film is better served by Tavernier's "Round Midnight" and Eastwood's "Bird" which get below the surface, reveal more sides of the form, the pain behind it in addition to offering infinitely superior lead performances by Forrest Whitaker and the real deal Dexter Gordon. This Spike Lee Joint doesn't even offer a mild buzz. It's some pretty bad homegrown.
Bleek Gilliam (Denzell Washington) is a happenin' jazz trumpeter that fronts a quintet packing them in at Below the Underdog. His problems include an incompetent manager, a stage hogging sax player and two girlfriends that he's playing musical mattress with. The real love of his life though is his trumpet and his music. The band's manager, Giant, has a dangerous gambling problem and proves to be an ineffective negotiator with greedy club owners and would be best jettisoned but Bleek remains loyal for as long as possible. It will prove to his undoing as an artist but ironically contribute to his growth as a man.
As Bleek, Denzell Washington is all wrong as the ambitious trumpeter with a babe on each arm. He's too sweet a guy to be so self centered about his art, dispensing patience and love to those close to him with a low key remoteness. He simply lacks the fire. Wesley Snipes who plays Henderson the sax player would have been far more suited for the role but even he would have to mouth the flaccid throw away scribblings of Lee's torpid dialogue. As Giant, Lee hits the trifecta with an abysmal performance to match his writing and direction. Loosely attempting to mirror the grubby but sympathetic Ratso Rizzo to Bleek's Joe Buck he adopts a limp and even the "I'm walkin' here" moment from Midnight Cowboy. In this case you wish the taxi would run him over and be done with it.
Lee's script is all tepid argument, heavy handed ribbing and veiled insult with some requisite clumsy editorializing that Lee has to inject to remain down. The scenes between the band members backstage and in rehearsal lack spark and are only surpassed in dreariness by the Bleek, Giant conversations that have an ad lib look and go in circles. Completing this travesty is Lee's pretentious visual style. Tracking shots, zooms and pans are wasted and without significance to scenes. They just wander.
Blues is Lee's love letter to jazz (made implicit by the mountains of memorabilia plastered all over the sets) and it's all sentimental clap trap that lacks passion and verve. Jazz on film is better served by Tavernier's "Round Midnight" and Eastwood's "Bird" which get below the surface, reveal more sides of the form, the pain behind it in addition to offering infinitely superior lead performances by Forrest Whitaker and the real deal Dexter Gordon. This Spike Lee Joint doesn't even offer a mild buzz. It's some pretty bad homegrown.
Interesting interpretation of life and love...
lesyle11 July 2003
I really enjoyed this film. Everyone has a Bleek in his life: someone whose love of his life is all he knows, wants to know, etc. However, we always lose the love of our life for various reasons. Then, what do you do when the love of your life is suddenly taken from you? That is this film's theme. Bleek's only love was jazz music. Bleek's music was the only thing that mattered to him. Music overrode everything: an incompetent manager (who was his best friend), his lovers, and the contentment of his bandmates (the money issue which is related to having an incompetent manager). When Bleek lost the love of his life (watch the film to learn why), he was forced to make some hard choices about his life and face some unpleasant truths (something we've all had to do).
I enjoyed the score and the jazz pieces included in this film (after all, Bleek played the trumpet). I really liked the cinematography in this film because the film showed the beauty of New York City - the brownstones, the Manhattan skyline (a brief glimpse), the Brooklyn Bridge, etc.
I enjoyed the score and the jazz pieces included in this film (after all, Bleek played the trumpet). I really liked the cinematography in this film because the film showed the beauty of New York City - the brownstones, the Manhattan skyline (a brief glimpse), the Brooklyn Bridge, etc.
More Important for Music Than Insight
LeonardKniffel1 May 2020
Written and performed by the Branford Marsalis Quartet and Terence Blanchard, the soundtrack to this self-conscious homage to jazz musicians was directed by the highly lauded Spike Lee. The film tells the story of a driven trumpeter named Bleek Gilliam, played with his usual flair by the great Denzel Washington doing an admirable job of rapping and seeming to actually play the trumpet. Lee cast himself as the annoying manager of Gilliam's jazz ensemble, and you really have to concentrate on the music to sit through their tedious arguments, not to mention scenes from Gilliam's neurotic love life. The movie was hailed by many critics as a penetrating look at the life of a jazz musician, but it is more important for its music than for its insight.
Decent, but not up to Spike Lee's usual standards
Jeremy_Urquhart2 July 2022
It's got striking colours/visuals, good music, and of course Denzel Washington being as charismatic and magnetic a screen presence as always, but otherwise I felt a bit distant from this.
There wasn't much about the story or characters that I got invested in, and at over two hours, the relaxed pacing and lack of a strong narrative became challenging.
There are redeeming qualities, like all Spike Lee movies I've seen (granted, I haven't seen his universally panned Oldboy remake), but if I were to rank all his films, this would probably be near the bottom, unfortunately.
There wasn't much about the story or characters that I got invested in, and at over two hours, the relaxed pacing and lack of a strong narrative became challenging.
There are redeeming qualities, like all Spike Lee movies I've seen (granted, I haven't seen his universally panned Oldboy remake), but if I were to rank all his films, this would probably be near the bottom, unfortunately.
The first film in the Denzel/Spike Trilogy
DunnDeeDaGreat27 November 2001
Denzel Washington and Spike Lee remind me of Bruce Campbell and Sam Raimi when it comes to actors and directors.This is the first film they worked on together and it was a success. The storyline and music are all great and Spike continues to make good movie. I give this film ***8 out of ****.
Not my fave
dennisendean19 November 2021
As with several of Spike Lee's earlier films I just do not get them as they are not part of the lifestyle I lead. But that is not to say they are not stunningly beautiful and full of charm. This film says a lot about trumpet music and jazz, it's just not my cup of tea, I would much rather watch Lee's more racial driven films. This film marks the first of four collaborations that Spike Lee and Denzele Washington have conferred on together and it is their least effective, but every one has got to start somewhere. If they had not done this together than the camaraderie that is felt on the better films Malcolm X, He Got Game, and Inside Man, could never had been achieved. This film is basically just the building block to bridge the gap until Spike and his troupe are better prepared to take on better ideas to be put into film.
This film has a great supporting cast as do most of Lee's films. It's got Sam L. Jackson, Joie Lee, John Turrtoro, Bill Nunn, and Robin Harris among others. These people are all great actors and always leave an impression on a film even when the film is not that good. This film could have been made better if it had not relied completely on Denzel's character to drive the story, if it had been opened up and given the other actors time to prevail their characters than the film would have been helped by what they could have brought to the table. As the film is it just stays stagnate and not much happens. If you want to hear some good music watch, i would suggest a CD though, stay away if you want a solid story.
This film has a great supporting cast as do most of Lee's films. It's got Sam L. Jackson, Joie Lee, John Turrtoro, Bill Nunn, and Robin Harris among others. These people are all great actors and always leave an impression on a film even when the film is not that good. This film could have been made better if it had not relied completely on Denzel's character to drive the story, if it had been opened up and given the other actors time to prevail their characters than the film would have been helped by what they could have brought to the table. As the film is it just stays stagnate and not much happens. If you want to hear some good music watch, i would suggest a CD though, stay away if you want a solid story.
Very Good, But Not On Par With Other Spike Work
jzappa26 October 2006
In Spike Lee's fourth film, Denzel Washington proves early in his career that he is capable of being funny and romantic in a more modest film than Glory or Cry Freedom, the music is breezy and romantic and consistent, jazzy and colorful cinematography, and another characteristic Spike Lee touch, which is his gift for drawing from his actors stunningly realistic performances. In some ensemble scenes, the dialogue seems like improvisation. Maybe it is.
Mo' Better Blues is a good, steady, effective drama, a portrait of a complex and overwrought musician and the indecision and jealousy that gradually eat away at his life, but it lacks the passion and brazen provocative nature of nearly all of Spike Lee's other films.
The cast, once again, is brilliant. Denzel is very very very authentic, faithful, graphic, and lifelike. My brother is a jazz musician and I've met several of his fellow musicians. I'm seasoned when it comes to jazz musicians. Take my word for it, Denzel's performance is entirely true. Snipes is brilliantly, swaggeringly audacious. Joie Lee comprehensively draws our sympathy towards her sensitive, self-conscious character and away from the elegant and subtly compelling Cynda Williams. Spike Lee himself is one of the most compelling characters. Samuel L. Jackson entertains in one of his millions and billions of early bit roles.
If I were to say, "I'm in the mood for a Spike Lee joint," this would not be one of the first films I pick, but it's different and enthralling. I mean, it's directed by Spike Lee, so how can it not be?
Mo' Better Blues is a good, steady, effective drama, a portrait of a complex and overwrought musician and the indecision and jealousy that gradually eat away at his life, but it lacks the passion and brazen provocative nature of nearly all of Spike Lee's other films.
The cast, once again, is brilliant. Denzel is very very very authentic, faithful, graphic, and lifelike. My brother is a jazz musician and I've met several of his fellow musicians. I'm seasoned when it comes to jazz musicians. Take my word for it, Denzel's performance is entirely true. Snipes is brilliantly, swaggeringly audacious. Joie Lee comprehensively draws our sympathy towards her sensitive, self-conscious character and away from the elegant and subtly compelling Cynda Williams. Spike Lee himself is one of the most compelling characters. Samuel L. Jackson entertains in one of his millions and billions of early bit roles.
If I were to say, "I'm in the mood for a Spike Lee joint," this would not be one of the first films I pick, but it's different and enthralling. I mean, it's directed by Spike Lee, so how can it not be?
'Cause mo better makes it mo better.
lastliberal2 April 2008
Focus, my man, focus. Your world is about to come tumbling down around you. While you are playing that trumpet, your sax player (Wesley Snipes) is scheming about his own band, the two lovers (Joie Lee & Cynda Williams) that you are torn between are tired of being ignored, and your manager (Spike Lee) is so deep into the bookie that he will never get out and drag you down with him.
Work and love. How many of us have been torn between the two. We focus on one and the other slides. Denzell Washington (Traing Day, Glory) is Bleek Gilliam, the leader of a jazz quintet who is so focused on his music that he ignored all that is going on around him until it is too late. What do you do the day after your world comes crashing down? Where do you go when facing the brick wall? Bleek has to face these questions, as we all do at one time or another.
Sure there is great music to listen to in this film, but there is so much more to ponder while listening.
Work and love. How many of us have been torn between the two. We focus on one and the other slides. Denzell Washington (Traing Day, Glory) is Bleek Gilliam, the leader of a jazz quintet who is so focused on his music that he ignored all that is going on around him until it is too late. What do you do the day after your world comes crashing down? Where do you go when facing the brick wall? Bleek has to face these questions, as we all do at one time or another.
Sure there is great music to listen to in this film, but there is so much more to ponder while listening.
Talented Cast But A Slog To Sit Through
slightlymad2214 August 2023
Continuing my plan to watch every movie in Denzel Washington's filmography I come to 1990's Mo Better Blues
Man was this a tough watch, I struggled to sit through this one. Denzel, Wesley Snipes and Giancarlo Esposito are all good, but the movie is a slog to watch.
Samuel L Jackson has a supporting role as one of the bookies enforcers.
I actually thought about turning this movie off on more than one occasion. The first time that's happened since starting to work my way through all of Denzel's movies
Mo Better Blues was the years 75th highest grossing movie of 1990, earning $16 million dollars.
Man was this a tough watch, I struggled to sit through this one. Denzel, Wesley Snipes and Giancarlo Esposito are all good, but the movie is a slog to watch.
Samuel L Jackson has a supporting role as one of the bookies enforcers.
I actually thought about turning this movie off on more than one occasion. The first time that's happened since starting to work my way through all of Denzel's movies
Mo Better Blues was the years 75th highest grossing movie of 1990, earning $16 million dollars.
Watchable but not a classic! 4/10
leonblackwood26 November 2016
Review: I've never really been a big fan of Spike Lee's movies, mainly because I don't like his directing and writing methods, and his pro-black message was used to death but I thought that it would be good to see how far Denzel Washington has come in his career. He definitely gave this movie this all, and the instruments were played very well by the top actors but I got a bit fed up with the flow of the movie because it seemed to be going round in circles. It wasn't as pro-black and most of Spike Lee's earlier movies, thank God but it did seem extremely dated, and for a two hour movie, nothing really happened. For those of you who don't remember the plot, the film is based around a trumpet player, Bleek Gilliam (Denzel Washington), who regularly plays in a club with his band, and is managed by his best friend, Giant (Spike Lee), who is addicted to gambling and hasn't paid the band for a long time. As Bleek is the leader of the band, everyone turns to him for there wages, knowing that there manager is useless but Bleek stays loyal to his friend, whilst trying to hold a relationship with Indigo (Joie Lee) and Clarke (Cynda Williams). With the debt collectors constantly after Giant, Bleek tries to steer him in the right direction but after a heated alteration outside the club, Bleek's life is changed forever and his band decide to go it alone. That is the basis of the storyline, which did have some emotional moments but nothing memorable. Wesley Snipes (Shadow), was the same as he is in a lot of his movies and the rest of the cast were very average but Denzel stood out from the rest, and I haven't seen him show this side of his acting skills since this movie. With that aside, I still wasn't impressed with the film, in this day and age but it was good to see some top black actors together on screen, before they hit the big time. Average!
Round-Up: I'm not a total Spike Lee hater, because I did enjoy Inside Man, 25th Hour, The Original Kings Of Comedy, Summer of Sam and Clockers but the rest of his projects, really wasn't my cup of tea. Do the Right Thing was a big deal when it was released in 1989, mainly because of it's pro-black message and the great soundtrack, which went down well in the urban market but he seemed to get a bit big headed after releasing Jungle Fever, Malcolm X and Crooklyn. He also had a few scraps with fellow directors in the media, and his movies started to take less money at the box office, mainly because people was getting a bit fed up with the same theme, so after releasing Girl 6 and He Got Game, he decided to make a movie about true events called Summer Of Sam. 25th Hour was also a change of direction for Spike Lee, and he started to turn his career to TV for a while. He still was making controversial comments in the media, and after his poor attempt of a remake of Oldboy in 2013, which lost the studio $25million, he has been out of the limelight for some time. Personally, I think that he is his worse enemy, like Quentin Taratino and Mel Gibson, because they are known for the wrong reasons. They are all talented directors but there mouth seems to get them in trouble. Anyway, it's a watchable movie but not a classic.
Budget: $10million Worldwide Gross: $16million
I recommend this movie to people who are into their music/romance/dramas, starring Denzel Washington, Spike Lee, Wesley Snipes, Giancarlo Esposito, Robin Harris, Joie Lee, Bill Nunn, John Turturro, Cynda Williams, Nicholas Turturro, Samuel L. Jackson, Charlie Murphy and Doug E. Doug. 4/10
Round-Up: I'm not a total Spike Lee hater, because I did enjoy Inside Man, 25th Hour, The Original Kings Of Comedy, Summer of Sam and Clockers but the rest of his projects, really wasn't my cup of tea. Do the Right Thing was a big deal when it was released in 1989, mainly because of it's pro-black message and the great soundtrack, which went down well in the urban market but he seemed to get a bit big headed after releasing Jungle Fever, Malcolm X and Crooklyn. He also had a few scraps with fellow directors in the media, and his movies started to take less money at the box office, mainly because people was getting a bit fed up with the same theme, so after releasing Girl 6 and He Got Game, he decided to make a movie about true events called Summer Of Sam. 25th Hour was also a change of direction for Spike Lee, and he started to turn his career to TV for a while. He still was making controversial comments in the media, and after his poor attempt of a remake of Oldboy in 2013, which lost the studio $25million, he has been out of the limelight for some time. Personally, I think that he is his worse enemy, like Quentin Taratino and Mel Gibson, because they are known for the wrong reasons. They are all talented directors but there mouth seems to get them in trouble. Anyway, it's a watchable movie but not a classic.
Budget: $10million Worldwide Gross: $16million
I recommend this movie to people who are into their music/romance/dramas, starring Denzel Washington, Spike Lee, Wesley Snipes, Giancarlo Esposito, Robin Harris, Joie Lee, Bill Nunn, John Turturro, Cynda Williams, Nicholas Turturro, Samuel L. Jackson, Charlie Murphy and Doug E. Doug. 4/10
Not Spike's best, but still a great movie
Wazoo26 April 2000
Spike Lee is, in my opinion, one of the most exciting young filmmakers to emerge in the last 20 years. While "Mo' Better Blues" is not as wonderful as "Do the Right Thing" or "Malcolm X," it still deserves considerable recognition as one of his more solid efforts. The story is a bit uneven, but the acting and the music more than make up for it.
Denzel Washington plays Bleek Gilliam, a NYC trumpet player who fronts his own jazz quintet to sell-out crowds at a local club. He's managed by Giant (played by Lee), an irresponsible compulsive gambler who is only Bleek's manager because they're childhood friends. Meanwhile, Bleek is seeing two different women (played by Joie Lee [Spike's real-life sister] and Cynda Williams), and is torn between his passion for music and his inability to control his relationships.
Things go haywire when Bleek's sax player, Shadow (Wesley Snipes), vies for the affections of one of Bleek's women, promising her fortune and fame as a jazz singer since Bleek only cares about himself anyway.
Giant's gambling problems, Bleek's convictions as a "serious" musician, and the tightrope one walks between love and professional dedication are themes all visited in this exciting, vibrant film.
Besides the wonderful performances (by Washington, Snipes, and the always-underrated Lee standby Giancarlo Esposito, among others), Ernest Dicekrson's cinematography is stunning, and the music -- performed in real life by Branford Marsalis, who has a cameo in the film -- is dazzling. The way the "band" mimes the performances is thoroughlly convincing (although it must be noted that Bleek's drummer is played by Jeff "Tain" Watts, a real jazz drummer who actually performs on the tracks themselves).
If you're a jazz lover and a lover of Spike Lee's movies, check this out -- you'll be glad you did.
Denzel Washington plays Bleek Gilliam, a NYC trumpet player who fronts his own jazz quintet to sell-out crowds at a local club. He's managed by Giant (played by Lee), an irresponsible compulsive gambler who is only Bleek's manager because they're childhood friends. Meanwhile, Bleek is seeing two different women (played by Joie Lee [Spike's real-life sister] and Cynda Williams), and is torn between his passion for music and his inability to control his relationships.
Things go haywire when Bleek's sax player, Shadow (Wesley Snipes), vies for the affections of one of Bleek's women, promising her fortune and fame as a jazz singer since Bleek only cares about himself anyway.
Giant's gambling problems, Bleek's convictions as a "serious" musician, and the tightrope one walks between love and professional dedication are themes all visited in this exciting, vibrant film.
Besides the wonderful performances (by Washington, Snipes, and the always-underrated Lee standby Giancarlo Esposito, among others), Ernest Dicekrson's cinematography is stunning, and the music -- performed in real life by Branford Marsalis, who has a cameo in the film -- is dazzling. The way the "band" mimes the performances is thoroughlly convincing (although it must be noted that Bleek's drummer is played by Jeff "Tain" Watts, a real jazz drummer who actually performs on the tracks themselves).
If you're a jazz lover and a lover of Spike Lee's movies, check this out -- you'll be glad you did.
Nice Brotha film
ThunderKing612 January 2020
Hate Spike or love him he sure knows or knew how to make gems.
For a $2.99 movie that I paid for. This movie was filled with drama, music and Brotha.
MBB is a very sentimental movie that puts 2020 sentimental movies to shame.
I recommend this movie to blues and romantic junkie fans.
For a $2.99 movie that I paid for. This movie was filled with drama, music and Brotha.
MBB is a very sentimental movie that puts 2020 sentimental movies to shame.
I recommend this movie to blues and romantic junkie fans.
Love It .
marcusdavis4028 March 2021
Cause mo better makes it mo better.
film-critic11 February 2005
I am normally a Spike Lee fan. It takes some time to really get into his "mojo", but once you see the clear message and the ability to tell the story that is close to his heart, Lee is a genius. Unlike The 25th Hour or Bamboozled (two of my favorite films of his), there was no clear story in this film. I was able to understand the struggle between Washington and the choice to play well or be influenced by others, but for some odd reason Lee was never able to get the true feeling out. Washington did a decent job with what was handed to him, but you could tell that this was not Lee's favorite film. Not only did Lee direct this film, but he also wrote it. You could tell. The camera work was horrid and the writing only contributed to the decay of the film. This film was coming full circle and it wasn't going to be pretty. Lee was not 100% behind this film as he was with Do the Right Thing. Of all the films I have seen Lee direct, this was the brightest and more modest of his films. It was almost as if he created a Hollywood movie instead of one that was all his own. I don't know if he saw the money from Do the Right Thing and ran with it, or what
but this film did not demonstrate his true talent.
For anyone out there that has seen this film, and perhaps stopped watching anything directed by Spike Lee afterwards due to this film, I suggest you give him a second chance. Don't get me wrong, I see exactly where you are coming from with this film and why you would want to put this behind you, but Lee does grow up. His work becomes more of his own, and you can see the transformation from a desire to make money to just wanting to make good films. It took me awhile to watch The 25th Hour, but when I did, it was sheer brilliance. Perhaps it was the actors, perhaps the story, but Lee crafted an amazing film out of one man's journey into the unknown. I guess that is what I was hoping Mo' Better Blues would turn out to be. This really dark journey into the life of a man that really never grew up, but instead all I got was Denzel being Denzel. He really is one of the most versatile actors of this generation, and I do consider him the Sydney Poitier of cinema, but this was not the film to showcase his talent.
Another issue that I had with this film was the use of Spike's sister playing one of the love interests. I don't know about you, and your family, but I do not think that I could have filmed a sex scene with my sister. I don't care who the actor is or how much money I am getting paid, I would never do it. It is just something that I never wish to see, but apparently that is different for Spike. He went ahead and showed the full nude image of his sister without any remorse. It was sad and it even made me blush. Also, I need somebody to answer me this. What was Flavor Flav doing introducing this film? So, I am sitting there on my couch, ready to start the film, when suddenly there is a voice from the past spelling out the studio that made this film, then he acknowledges himself. That did not build for a strong remaining of the story. Again, I felt that Lee was going for money on this film instead of actual talent. Perhaps that is how he could afford both Denzel and Wesley in the same movie without any explosions.
There were two great scenes in this film that made it worth watching through to the end. Don't get me wrong, this was a very bad movie, but there is always a diamond in every alleyway. The scene when Bleek accidentally forgets which woman he is with was mesmerizing. He continually went back and forth, weaving truth to confusion in a way that proved that Lee was actually behind the camera. It was a visionary scene that was probably lost in the shuffle due to the remaining poor scenes. The other scene that was worth watching was the way that Lee introduced and ended the film. By keeping the same pacing and direction, he was able to bring this tragic character around full circle and give him the chance to change his life. Other than these two moments, the rest of the film was pure rubbish, not worth viewing unless you are about to go blind.
Grade: ** out of *****
For anyone out there that has seen this film, and perhaps stopped watching anything directed by Spike Lee afterwards due to this film, I suggest you give him a second chance. Don't get me wrong, I see exactly where you are coming from with this film and why you would want to put this behind you, but Lee does grow up. His work becomes more of his own, and you can see the transformation from a desire to make money to just wanting to make good films. It took me awhile to watch The 25th Hour, but when I did, it was sheer brilliance. Perhaps it was the actors, perhaps the story, but Lee crafted an amazing film out of one man's journey into the unknown. I guess that is what I was hoping Mo' Better Blues would turn out to be. This really dark journey into the life of a man that really never grew up, but instead all I got was Denzel being Denzel. He really is one of the most versatile actors of this generation, and I do consider him the Sydney Poitier of cinema, but this was not the film to showcase his talent.
Another issue that I had with this film was the use of Spike's sister playing one of the love interests. I don't know about you, and your family, but I do not think that I could have filmed a sex scene with my sister. I don't care who the actor is or how much money I am getting paid, I would never do it. It is just something that I never wish to see, but apparently that is different for Spike. He went ahead and showed the full nude image of his sister without any remorse. It was sad and it even made me blush. Also, I need somebody to answer me this. What was Flavor Flav doing introducing this film? So, I am sitting there on my couch, ready to start the film, when suddenly there is a voice from the past spelling out the studio that made this film, then he acknowledges himself. That did not build for a strong remaining of the story. Again, I felt that Lee was going for money on this film instead of actual talent. Perhaps that is how he could afford both Denzel and Wesley in the same movie without any explosions.
There were two great scenes in this film that made it worth watching through to the end. Don't get me wrong, this was a very bad movie, but there is always a diamond in every alleyway. The scene when Bleek accidentally forgets which woman he is with was mesmerizing. He continually went back and forth, weaving truth to confusion in a way that proved that Lee was actually behind the camera. It was a visionary scene that was probably lost in the shuffle due to the remaining poor scenes. The other scene that was worth watching was the way that Lee introduced and ended the film. By keeping the same pacing and direction, he was able to bring this tragic character around full circle and give him the chance to change his life. Other than these two moments, the rest of the film was pure rubbish, not worth viewing unless you are about to go blind.
Grade: ** out of *****
Heavy-handed for sure. But also highly atmospheric.
topitimo-829-27045921 October 2019
Spike Lee followed his career-best "Do the Right Thing" (1989) with a totally different film, moving away from racial tensions and towards a universal groove. "Mo' Better Blues" (1990) tells the story of trumpeter Bleek Gilliam (Denzel Washington), and his relationships with band mates (Wesley Snipes, Giancarlo Esposito, Bill Nunn), his manager (Spike Lee), and the two women from whom he can't decide 'oh which one' (Joie Lee, Cynda Williams). There isn't really a plot-line, but instead the film moves on smoothly, enjoying great music on the way and depicting the obsessive trumpeter.
The film looks and sounds great. Lee builds a working atmosphere and makes you appreciate the music. My problem is that the film is very heavy-handed in its character working, except for the protagonist. The narrative thread of Wesley Snipes being jealous about Denzel's place in the spotlight, as well as the narrative thread about Spike's gambling problem and Denzel taking pity on him, are both old almost to a point of cliche. The film's groovy vibe makes them passable, but it does not rise to be one of Lee's masterworks. In "Do the Right Thing" he had played his cards right, and let things develop on their own pace. This film feels a greater need to explain the characters, who are already one-dimensional. And the ending is terrible, Lee lets the film continue about five minutes too long.
But the music is great, and Denzel is too. Also I got to give some credit to Spike's own acting. This film came out a year after "Do the Right Thing", and his characters in these two films couldn't be further apart. The supportive ensemble is strong, and makes the cast of characters better and more realistic, than the screenplay would have them to be.
The film looks and sounds great. Lee builds a working atmosphere and makes you appreciate the music. My problem is that the film is very heavy-handed in its character working, except for the protagonist. The narrative thread of Wesley Snipes being jealous about Denzel's place in the spotlight, as well as the narrative thread about Spike's gambling problem and Denzel taking pity on him, are both old almost to a point of cliche. The film's groovy vibe makes them passable, but it does not rise to be one of Lee's masterworks. In "Do the Right Thing" he had played his cards right, and let things develop on their own pace. This film feels a greater need to explain the characters, who are already one-dimensional. And the ending is terrible, Lee lets the film continue about five minutes too long.
But the music is great, and Denzel is too. Also I got to give some credit to Spike's own acting. This film came out a year after "Do the Right Thing", and his characters in these two films couldn't be further apart. The supportive ensemble is strong, and makes the cast of characters better and more realistic, than the screenplay would have them to be.
Needed to be Mo' Better... a lot Mo' Better
view_and_review20 August 2018
I'm at a loss for words to describe this movie. I saw it but I'm still trying to wrap my ahead around what it was all about. Let me describe it as a witness would describe a crime.
I saw, what appeared to be Denzel Washington playing the role of Bleek Gilliam, a musician in Harlem. His manager's name was Giant who was a man in the form of Spike Lee. Bleek was involved with two women, Indigo and Clark who donned the flesh of Joie Lee and Cynda Williams. He also had a band of Lefty, Bottom, Rhythm Jones, and Shadow. They looked like actors Giancarlo Esposito, Bill Nunn, Jeff Watts, and Wesley Snipes.
What actually occurred on screen is a bit fuzzy. The paradoxically named Giant had a gambling problem. The two women in Bleek's life seemed to want him for different reasons and Bleek wanted them both for seemingly one reason: sex. His bandmates were unhappy with their pay situation, especially Shadow. These various issues made the conflict that is necessary for a movie but the conflict was so appalling and absurd.
Then you add the Spike Lee-isms. There was a similar trend in all of Spike Lee's earlier movies. The three that were used in "Mo' Better Blues" were
1.) The ghost walk. With a camera trained on a person's upper body and he is supposed to be walking towards the camera but there is no movement of the upper body whatsoever. How do I know the person is supposed to be walking? Because the scenery around him is moving as though the person is in motion. 2.) The merry-go-round. That's when a person is sitting still with a camera honed in on his head yet the background spins as though he's on a merry-go-round. 3.) The poor acting. This is usually reserved for Spike Lee himself but can also be used by other lesser known actors. It's easily identified by a robotic delivery of the lines with no emotion visible except the bare minimum necessary to convey the supposed mood.
Mo' Better Blues was so utterly pointless. It wasn't funny, it wasn't dramatic, there was no action... it just ran to completion with some random acts and random dialogue. Honestly, it was a huge disappointment. I didn't expect it to be a cinematic masterpiece but I certainly expected more than the trash I witnessed.
I saw, what appeared to be Denzel Washington playing the role of Bleek Gilliam, a musician in Harlem. His manager's name was Giant who was a man in the form of Spike Lee. Bleek was involved with two women, Indigo and Clark who donned the flesh of Joie Lee and Cynda Williams. He also had a band of Lefty, Bottom, Rhythm Jones, and Shadow. They looked like actors Giancarlo Esposito, Bill Nunn, Jeff Watts, and Wesley Snipes.
What actually occurred on screen is a bit fuzzy. The paradoxically named Giant had a gambling problem. The two women in Bleek's life seemed to want him for different reasons and Bleek wanted them both for seemingly one reason: sex. His bandmates were unhappy with their pay situation, especially Shadow. These various issues made the conflict that is necessary for a movie but the conflict was so appalling and absurd.
Then you add the Spike Lee-isms. There was a similar trend in all of Spike Lee's earlier movies. The three that were used in "Mo' Better Blues" were
1.) The ghost walk. With a camera trained on a person's upper body and he is supposed to be walking towards the camera but there is no movement of the upper body whatsoever. How do I know the person is supposed to be walking? Because the scenery around him is moving as though the person is in motion. 2.) The merry-go-round. That's when a person is sitting still with a camera honed in on his head yet the background spins as though he's on a merry-go-round. 3.) The poor acting. This is usually reserved for Spike Lee himself but can also be used by other lesser known actors. It's easily identified by a robotic delivery of the lines with no emotion visible except the bare minimum necessary to convey the supposed mood.
Mo' Better Blues was so utterly pointless. It wasn't funny, it wasn't dramatic, there was no action... it just ran to completion with some random acts and random dialogue. Honestly, it was a huge disappointment. I didn't expect it to be a cinematic masterpiece but I certainly expected more than the trash I witnessed.
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