ONE NIGHT IN MIAMI (2021) 

DIRECTION:

Although a gorgeous looking film, it unfortunately struggles to push itself outside of the boundaries of the original stage play, instead at many points feeling like a filmed piece of theatre. Rather than leaning into the new medium, it instead feels as if it is tiptoeing the line between the two.

For the most part, the film is set in an enclosed hotel room as we watch four men talk, discuss, and evaluate all manner of things. When the tensions are high, we feel it, but when the energy is low, we unfortunately feel that too.

PLOT:

Adapted for the screen by the original playwright Kemp Powers (who also co-wrote the script for the 2020 Pixar film Soul), the film tells an interesting story but struggled to fully engage me for the whole runtime. It’s clear to see how powerful a piece this would be on stage, however as a film it never feels like it completely fills the screen, and I often found my mind wandering.

Part of this however may be completely my own fault. I like to go into films with as open a mind as possible, with no research and when possible even avoiding the trailer. This was not the film for that. Historical context is really important for the story. As someone who isn’t a sports fan, I wasn’t even aware until the final moments of the film that the character Cassius was in fact Mohammad Ali. Not knowing the context of who these men became and the things they encountered after this night, I found it tough to engage with the narrative. The arguments between the four men were pitched well, but overall, I needed more tension or excitement.