Wow! Such a good movie.

Exactly the movie you think it is, but not the movie you want it to be.

The biggest problem with this movie is it’s a little better than you think it might be, which somehow makes it worse. As in, it takes itself a bit too seriously, which makes most of the movie feel kind of dull.

All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

People seem upset that this doesn't convey all the facts as correctly as a documentary. But the same could be said for McFarland. I was not a Beyonce fan till this flick and discovered how good she is as an actor. Adrian Brody gives his typical solid performance. Jeffrey Wright plays his role with emotion and feeling and you get a real sense of the pain he feels and conveys it wonderfully with his acting. The movie is moving, emotional, and compelling, I have never seen anything to suggest it was a documentary but rather great actors telling a story about the start of something big in an era of racism and a man that helped to make it happen. Enjoy the movie for what it is-a movie about a difficult subject that might be historically flawed, that isn't the fault of actors which give a wonderful performance.

Probably no type of music is more American than the blues. Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf and Etta James are some of the most famous names in the genre. Less well known is the story behind their recordings. Darnell Martin's "Cadillac Records" is the story. The movie casts Adrien Brody as Leonard Chess, who established a record company in Chicago to record some of these artists. Every step of the way it was a risky business: racism was still the law in much of the country, and the artists were often at each other's throats. But in the end, they made some of the greatest songs in history.As can be expected, the best part is the music. Muddy Waters (Jeffrey Wright), Howlin' Wolf (Eamonn Walker) and Etta James (Beyoncé Knowles) contribute some masterful tunes, as do Chuck Berry (Mos Def), Willie Dixon (Cedric the Entertainer) and Little Walter (Columbus Short). It's a great time every step of the way. Definitely worth seeing.

The subject matter is interesting but the dialog is not clear and the scenes move from one to another without much explanation. It is hard to understand what is going on.Beyonce's fright wig is scary. Adrien Brody is slightly out of place here. The incidents of racial discrimination are rather strangely thrust in the story.Overall even if you do like the songs from the era, this story is just not well told. Such a waste.Don't bother to watch it even if you like the leads. It's just very badly scripted and directed.

Wow, I've never seen a biopic take such liberties with facts... to the point that the film even invents a murder that never happened. But in all fairness, so did "Amadeus".The point of the film, however, is not to present facts but to foster interest. That much is said in the director's commentary: she says that if people become interested to learn more about these (and other) classic artists, then the film has done its job.Then by all means, it succeeded. The names of Muddy Waters, Etta James, Little Walter & Howlin Wolf have always been a footnote to the general public (including myself). But now I'll definitely take notice.If you're already a blues aficianado, then I doubt you'll care much for this film. But if you're part of the target audience--those who are not familiar with the origin of rock'n'roll or who think erroneously (as I did) that Elvis was the one who started it all--then this movie is worth a watch.I'll give you one warning. It gets ugly. This is NOT a film to be showcased during Black History Month! It portrays many of these artists at their worst: drug-addicted, alcoholic, violent, sex-crazed, uneducated, selfish and perpetually angry. The film has a very cynical, malicious vibe. But I think this was done with a specific intent; the director seemed to be making a strong metaphor to today's gangsta rap, probably with the hopes of reaching a young generation that never appreciated blues & rock'n'roll. I thought that was an interesting angle, though it must offend many blues purists.So there you have it... Don't expect facts. Don't expect history. Don't expect many feel-good moments. Instead expect a very stylish drama about the Chicago 'hood with a lot of sex, drugs & rock'n'roll. I know it sounds like I'm disparaging the movie, but I'm not. I really thought it was an interesting presentation.