Finding Fela!

Name: Finding Fela!
Genre: Biography, History, Music, Documentary
Released: August 1, 2014
Duration: 119 min
Rating: 64

2014

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Generally favorable reviews based on 20 Critic Reviews

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Generally favorable reviews based on 4 Ratings

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7.5	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 4 Ratings

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Finding Fela

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Movie Details & Credits

Kino Lorber | Release Date: August 1, 2014 | Not Rated

Summary: Finding Fela tells the story of Fela Anikulapo Kuti’s life, his music, his social and political importance. He created a new musical movement, Afrobeat, using that forum to express his revolutionary political opinions against the dictatorial Nigerian government of the 1970s and 1980s. His influence helped bring a change towards democracy inFinding Fela tells the story of Fela Anikulapo Kuti’s life, his music, his social and political importance. He created a new musical movement, Afrobeat, using that forum to express his revolutionary political opinions against the dictatorial Nigerian government of the 1970s and 1980s. His influence helped bring a change towards democracy in Nigeria and promoted Pan Africanist politics to the world. The power and potency of Fela’s message is completely current today and is expressed in the political movements of oppressed people, embracing Fela’s music and message in their struggle for freedom.… Expand

Director: Alex Gibney

Genre(s): Biography, History, Music, Documentary

Rating: Not Rated

Runtime: 119 min

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Critic Reviews

IndieWire Mary Sollosi

Jul 24, 2014

Even after a superbly made two-hour-long documentary, Kuti keeps many of his secrets to himself. Read full review

The Guardian Jordan Hoffman

Sep 9, 2014

Finding Fela does an exemplary job of explaining, in musical terms, what made Fela standout, a simple enough step that most music documentaries ignore. Read full review

The Playlist Rodrigo Perez

Aug 26, 2014

Gibney never quite finds Fela, and the quest isn’t always remarkable either, but such is the spirited brio of the seminal subject that some of his dynamic essence still shines through. Read full review

Farran Smith Nehme

Jul 30, 2014

Though the filmmaking is not terribly exciting, Fela’s life and music are. Read full review

Jim Farber

Aug 2, 2014

There’s nothing like seeing Fela himself — blowing his sax, expressing his unbridled sexuality and living a life like no other. Read full review

Keith Uhlich

Jul 29, 2014

These scenes make you wish the rest of the movie had similar bite, but Gibney tends toward that dutiful doc style that mixes talking heads and archival clips into a flavorless stew—a bland complement to Fela’s zesty on- and offstage presence. Read full review

Geoff Berkshire

Jul 24, 2014

While the filmed stage performances are among the pic’s most galvanizing sequences, their inclusion underscores how flat Gibney’s combination of archival footage and talking-head interviews otherwise plays. Read full review

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User Reviews

CMC

Aug 15, 2014

I found the film enjoyable and informative. It mostly lacks the formulaic talking head interviews and other tired doc format stuff, and there is quite a bit of original footage of Fela, all good. The intercutting to the Broadway show became increasingly annoying and embarrassing, sort ofI found the film enjoyable and informative. It mostly lacks the formulaic talking head interviews and other tired doc format stuff, and there is quite a bit of original footage of Fela, all good. The intercutting to the Broadway show became increasingly annoying and embarrassing, sort of like interposing "The Lion King". Like most docs, this can wait until you get it online. But worth it.… Expand

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Trailesque

Aug 21, 2020

Fela is a fascinating figure and his music is magnificent. However this film is weakened by its trying to be 2 documentaries in one: the story of the Broadway show Fela and the story of Fela's life. Included are some fine interviews with people who were close to him.

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