Respect

Respect

The rise of Aretha Franklin’s career from a child singing in her father’s church’s choir to her international superstardom.

  • Released: 2021-08-12
  • Runtime: 145 minutes
  • Genre: Drama, History, Music
  • Stars: Jennifer Hudson, Forest Whitaker, Marlon Wayans, Audra McDonald, Mary J. Blige, Marc Maron, Tituss Burgess, Saycon Sengbloh, Hailey Kilgore, Tate Donovan, Skye Dakota Turner, Heather Headley, Leroy McClain, Lodric D. Collins, Brenda Nicole Moorer, Brandon Gilpin, Tangela Large, Albert Jones, Myk Watford, Gilbert Glenn Brown
  • Director: Liesl Tommy
 Comments
  • kristhebass - 2 January 2024
    No Otis?
    Otis Redding was the writer of one of her biggest and most remembered hits, 'Respect' but is barely mentioned let alone seen.

    A lot of key moments in her life were left out, the death of Martin Luther King was very unclear, it took a while before I realize who they were talking about. I know it's hard to cram a life into a two hour movie but they did stop in the early seventies. I haven't seen the Genius TV series, didn't know there was one until I read some of the reviews here, rest assured I will.

    The only really plus point is the performance of Jenifer Hudson who almost, I say, almost out sung Aretha. The lowest point of her singing was at the end with Amazing Grace which was nothing sort of howling.

    They could also have used a more flattering performance of her for the end titles, as bad as the ending of the Elvis movie when they showed a bloated Elvis in his final performance.
  • andredejongh - 16 April 2023
    Gorgeous film! And snubbed at the Oscars, if you ask me
    I just watched the film RESPECT, with Jennifer Hudson as Aretha Franklin.... somehow this film totally went under my radar.... I just happened to bump into it on Prime Video.... On IMDB it also just has a score of 6.6 .... unbelievable.... this film is made to perfection..... and an impressive role by Jennifer Hudson.... She wasn't even nominated for an Oscar.... the whole film wasn't nominated for whatever Academy Awards category.... how is this possible? And I just read that Aretha Franklin's family also wasn't pleased with the Oscar snub..... they thought Hudson did a superb job.... I never knew about Aretha Franklin's life.... not about her childhood trauma's and the dominant men in her life.... religion played a big part in her life, growing up in church and with her reverend father.... Liesl Tommy is a superb director.... and she tells the story from a female point of view.... perhaps that is why influential men decided to snub this film? Because most men in the film don't come off positively? .... and even religion is being critisiced by Tommy: a character in the film says that during the religious tours (with Reverend Franklin, Aretha's father) he had the best sex in his life.... and Liesl Tommy respects the important role religion played in Aretha Franklin's life .... but the film ends when Miss Franklin is making her Gospel album, recorded live at the New Temple Missionary Baptist Church in Los Angeles (as we read during the closing credits, this was her best selling album until then).... but out of focus, in Liesl Tommy's film we see in the scenes, in that church, out of focus behind Aretha, a depiction of Jesus. A huge painting against the wall. Of a white Jesus. His white skin behind Aretha. It is Tommy's subtle way to ask questions about which God and which Jesus these people are praying to... of course it is a white man's God.... a white man's Jesus.... a white Jesus. A white cultural leftover from the white European colonisers who enslaved people from the African continent bringing them to places like what is now the United States, and to South Africa where Tommy is from .... Liesl Tommy of course has eye for the suffering of the Afro Americans and the deep racism from white Americans.... but she counterbalances it with depicting some black men being overly dominant and abusive but also being racist themselves towards white men, musicians in this case.... calling him redneck and many other terms, provoking anger by a never-ending repetition of words. I can imagine that this also doesn't fare well with some people seeing this film. Liesl Tommy isn't painting a black and white picture... she nuances it, without denying the severe racism towards black people... Liesl Tommy is South African-American... a woman of colour telling a story about people of colour... and she dares to also have a critical note about them.... again, without ignoring the systemic racism towards black people.... What I also didn't know is that Aretha Franklin didn't come from a poor working class background (systemic racism probably had me assume that most black artists come from poor backgrounds).... she came from educated middle class, well off people .... It is a gorgeous film.... Jennifer Hudson is excellent... and for sure she deserved at least an Oscar nomination... and I think even a win.... she becomes Aretha Franklin!.... you believe the woman on the screen.... and her voice.... and her strength and her weaknesses and vulnerability .... but overall we see a strong, intelligent woman .... And for sure Liesl Tommy deserved to be nominated.... One thing I didn't like was the dominant presence of the dark vignette surrounding the screen,.... like when I work on my photos in photoshop.... it is too clearly visible... you literally see a vignette .... my guess is it should have been more subtle.... Perhaps on a film screen you don't notice it as much? But on a HD screen it really stands out..... Anyway .... go see this beautiful film. Gorgeous!
  • dbuckshnis - 16 October 2022
    Great singing and good acting
    I was to young to fully respect Aretha but her story seemed to be like many of that era of abuse and control. Wow - child of abuse - so common and so sad! The Queen of Soul she definitely was and what a pig her husband was (reminds me of Ike and Tina). But what a dynamo Jennifer Hudson is in this film and certainly does not disappoint!

    Great cast of stars and all played perfectly and I felt as if I was sitting there with them. Martin Luther King was great and I didn't realize his impact on her career.

    Set designs are good as well as cinematography going to black and white sometimes. Costumes are great for that era - and movement through the decades.

    But mostly, Jennifer Hudson is superb!
  • milesrob-172601 - 24 June 2022
    Nice movie!
    I liked the Story of Aretha Franklin's life and her childhood growing up. And the Father pastor played by Forest. Did good job as She gets older growing up as black girl singer.
  • Kingslaay - 24 May 2022
    Good in parts
    It's very difficult to capture a person's entire life in a film, let alone someone as huge as Aretha Franklin. It seems like focusing on one or a few key parts of their lives would be a safer bet. 'Respect' had a strong start and momentum but I felt this slowed down in the middle. I enjoyed learning about Aretha's early life and initial struggles. But either you sprint past so much of her life or you spend too much time on one area, it's a hard balance. I felt they spent a little too much time on her alcoholism and marital problems. I can accept the harsh realities of a anyone's life but I wanted the Queen of Soul's life to be more a celebration. Overall a solid performance from Jennifer Hudson and not a bad film. Due to ambitiously trying to capture her life in just over 2 hours I feel this film is quite forgettable and joins so many Hollywood biopics.