Review: Respect

Image courtesy of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer

The Aretha Franklin biopic, "Respect," hits many of the familiar beats of this particular type of film and doesn't stray too far from the path. In other words, it's more in the realm of "Bohemian Rhapsody" and "Rocketman" (both good, but semi-formulaic) than it is similar to "I'm Not There" or "Straight Outta Compton," which both focused on more than just the music.

So, while "Respect" is a pretty decent movie with a solid Jennifer Hudson performance as the Queen of Soul, it's also a bit of a missed opportunity. There's a scene midway through the movie in which Martin Luther King Jr. (portrayed by Gilbert Glenn Brown) praises Aretha in front of an audience regarding her work with the Civil Rights Movement. The only thing is: Other than an occasional appearance by MLK, who is friends with Re's father, the Rev. C.L. Franklin (Forest Whitaker); a conversation between MLK and Aretha in which she says she wants to do more for the cause; and Aretha's stated support for Angela Davis, the singer's extensive work with the movement is mostly left out of the film.

This is a shame, not only because it would have added a little something extra to the film and made it among the more unique biopics, but also because the movie instead focuses on the turbulent relationship between Franklin and her controlling, violent husband, Ted White (Marlon Wayans), and the singer's drinking problem. So, what we're left with is yet another series of scenes in which a superstar is mistreated by a spouse or paranoid because she's drinking too much and alienating friends and family. Thankfully, the drinking sequences are brief.

The most interesting moments in the film are the early scenes in which we see how her young adulthood shaped who she'd become as well as her early years of being unable to find success. And maybe it's because I'd already seen the documentary "Muscle Shoals" that I found the sections in which Aretha cut records at the legendary Alabama recording studio to be among the most compelling.

There are some solid performances in the film - Whitaker is very good as always, while Hailey Kilgore and Saycon Sengbloh are memorable as Re's sisters - but it's Hudson who holds the whole thing together. Much like the Queen of Soul herself, Hudson has a terrific voice, and while her singing doesn't exactly sound like Aretha's, she still can belt out those high notes with ease. She also adds nuance to a character who is well-known, beloved and larger than life.

So, while "Respect" doesn't break the mold that has been established and mostly stuck to for years in the musical biopic genre, the film has its share of compelling moments. It may be a bit too long and focus on elements (alcoholism and an abusive husband) that aren't as compelling as others that are short changed (Aretha's civil rights work), but it's overall a pretty good movie. 

It's interesting that the filmmakers choose to end on Aretha's recording of the landmark gospel album, "Amazing Grace," in 1972 as well as the filming of a documentary - which finally saw the light of day a few years ago - at the church where the songs are performed. The album had followed several years, according to this movie, of hard living for Aretha, but as a young woman who had faced many challenges as a girl (including a pregnancy brought on by statutory rape) and fought and struggled to find success, a rebirth like this one seems like a good place to end the movie. It's unlikely you won't be moved during her rendition of "Amazing Grace" as her voice soars to the heavens.