MovieChat Forums > Get on Up (2014) Discussion > They pick the wrong actor!

They pick the wrong actor!

posted 10 years ago by BIGERN52
66 replies | jump to latest

Ok, love me some JB I attend his concerts in the 70's when he was in his prime. He had style and great showmanship that was felt in the audience. His show's was a three hour marathon of music and dance at it's best, that keep you on your feet. It takes a great musician and ton of charisma to do that night after night as JB did for his audience.
I'm telling you this actor didn't hold me for two minute of a promo he is uninspiring. He was just reading lines there was no James Brown to be found in this performance. He will be the reason this movie will sink. Look at the movie "Ray" I love RC he was one of the greats. His music and talent was universally admired, but it was Jamie's performance that made that movie bio spectacular. This actor is good but not special he was flat in "42". I think he will be just okay in this as well.

[–] atlantis77 10 years ago

I think he did a great job playing James Brown with his way of speaking, the dance moves, his posture......everything.

[–] pullman1881 10 years ago

Just came from seeing Get on Up and Boseman was absolutely terrific...the speaking voice (he also did a little singing and sounded great), his physicality, acting, looks...everything. I only wished there was more music! Movies like Ray and What's Love Got to do With It had more like full concert scenes with most of a song, dancing, etc. This had less of that; more snippets of particular numbers like Please (I wanted to see when he'd throw off the cape, start singing, leave the stage and throw off the cape again - I remember seeing him on maybe Ed Sullivan in the late 50's-early 60's doing the whole cape thing) and they only show a little bit. Boseman's dancing was terrific. I still think he's too handsome, but they did a great job with makeup, hair, etc. He was perfect.

[–] truheart_1 10 years ago

Boseman killed it. He even did a good job with the footwork. Nobody can do James Brown dancing like the original, but Boseman did a great job. I was surprised when he was picked for the role but they made the right choice

[–] Waldimore 9 years ago

I just saw the movie and I think Boswick did a fantastic job. Don't know what movie other people were watching. The actor clearly studied and prepared. He captured Brown's essence and considering that people are critical of biopic performance in general, he managed to give a performance.

James Brown the real man was a character and after fame he became a caricature of himself, which often happens to celebrities. It's hard to penetrate the persona of a famous person like that without people comparing the performance to the original.

I think the actor more than met the challenge. James Brown was a genius and master showman, but he had a hard life that scarred him on many levels. Imagine what he would have been like without music in his life to save him?

[–] acthewriter 10 years ago

They absolutely did NOT pick the wrong actor. I just came back from seeing this movie and without a doubt the actor did an AMAZING job. There's an Oscar nomination in his future for sure.

Your fugitive's name is Dr. Richard Kimble. Go get him.

[–] so_bo 10 years ago

Chadwick Boseman was amazing! He did a great job in this role.

[–] larry711-926-416981 10 years ago

HA!!! The wrong actor? What do you say NOW, after the movie has been released? You've got to post an updated comment (pardon me if i've missed it), because your prediction about the movie sinking was way off course. KNowing some behind the scenes stuff about JB, I believe Chadwick B got it DOWN PAT!! His dancin was DEAD on.... that is undeniable.

[–] vababy 10 years ago

I know right for a second I thought I was liking at James Brown

[–] WhoisThePrisoner1 9 years ago

32 million box office is a FLOP.

[–] Sergeant343 9 years ago

Not if the budget was low.

HI-F___ING-YA
Nicholas Cage Deadfall
Oscar Predictions: imdb.com/list/ls073423336/

[–] WhoisThePrisoner1 9 years ago

True, but the production budget was 30 million, and the marketing wasn't cheap. I doubt they broke even.

[–] Hippo9 9 years ago

Movie bombed. Boseman couldn't carry the movie in the lead. The directing and editing of the movie was a mess. The best thing in the movie was Nelson Ellis as Bobby Byrd. He blew away Boseman with his performance.

[–] Darnthealarm 10 years ago

Chadwick was great...I grew up with James Brown and other Black artist...the music and the story and the acting were first class...it appears you are making your comments without seeing the movie (I think he will be just okay in this as well)...that in itself is a crime and you should be suspended for posting such comments...

[–] MrSuave56 10 years ago

Thanks Darnathaalarm,good to see most folks who watched the film liked it.Also the critics really enjoyed Chad's performance.He is the perfect actor to portray the Godfather of Soul! A few years ago someone asked on this site who will replace Denzel and Will Smith? Well I don't think we have anything to worry about with Boseman,Michael B. Jordan,Nate Parker and John Boyeda on the seen,like sex machine!:)

[–] johncomo-1 10 years ago

I watched it. I thought it was really good to a point. I like what Chadwick done with the part, he was believable and thats all that matters, but I do have my "buts and shouldas" on the rest of the movie. Most people know James Brown for doing a couple of hits like "I Got You" and "Living in America" and thats it. They didn't know the real James Brown and seemingly still don't. That was the commercialized version of Brown in that movie which if you are going to portray someone, don't hold back. In the movie, the concert performances were not "rough" enough as if the producers were being conservative with the funk. James Brown is funk to the bone. Please correct me if I am mistaken but Fred Wesley was a big part of James Brown, it seems like the film never mentioned his name, at least I thought I was watching another movie about a Fred-less James Brown. MC Danny Ray, originator of "The Amazing Mr Please Please Himself" and "The Hardest Working Man in Show Business" seemed to be left out as well. No mentions of the JB's. No Lynn Collins... They played pivotal roles when Brown was in his prime. Yes, we get the picture of early childhood memories, We get it, but how you leave out the Zaire Concert when Ali fought Forman, that was huge in its time, the art of discipline and fines to the band members who were off key or more importantly off timing, off the 1, too little emphasis was made on "The 1". Those are critical detail that could have well replaced all the moot drama. I hate in a way that this movie was made lacking serious coverage making it seemingly harder to remake this in this lifetime. Whoever do their homework on James Brown in the distant future will probable make the film Oscar caliber and a blockbuster. Too bad it will be a hundred years or more from now.

[–] purplepleatedpants 9 years ago

I loved Chadwick's portrayal. I'm not as familiar with James Brown's long history, but that infamous voice, the odd delivery he had, Chadwick really seemed to nail that. I wonder how much Mick Jagger actually contributed to the creation of this film? Was he 'hands on' or was he just a producer on the sidelines? Perhaps there are interviews out there that I'm not familiar with? It would surely shed more light on this project?

[–] rzajac 9 years ago

Troll.

--
And I'd like that. But that 5h1t ain't the truth. --Jules Winnfield

[–] robatmuskoka-89-696422 9 years ago

He was amazing !

[–] benman46 9 years ago

The problem was that, almost from the beginning, Boseman spoke like JB did on stage or to the media, which just wasn't the case in real life. I should be thankful that he wasn't asked to mimic JB's voice, though he failed to capture JB's onstage charisma in the perfunctory live sequences.