Get On Up

Name: Get On Up
Genre: Biography, Drama, Music
Released: August 1, 2014
Duration: 139 min
Rating: 71
Cast: Chadwick Boseman, Craig Robinson, Dan Aykroyd, Fred Melamed, Jill Scott

2014

METASCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 44 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 82 Ratings

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7.0	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 82 Ratings

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Movie Details & Credits

Universal Pictures | Release Date: August 1, 2014 | PG-13

Starring: Chadwick Boseman, Craig Robinson, Dan Aykroyd, Fred Melamed, Jill Scott, Lennie James, Nelsan Ellis, Octavia Spencer, Viola Davis

Summary: A chronicle of James Brown's rise from extreme poverty to become one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century.

Director: Tate Taylor

Genre(s): Biography, Drama, Music

Rating: PG-13

Runtime: 139 min

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Critic Reviews

100

Richard Corliss

Jul 30, 2014

In 2007, Jamie Foxx won Best Actor for his subtle performance as Ray Charles. Boseman exceeds that solid standard. Incarnating James Brown in all his ornery uniqueness, he deserves a Pulitzer, a Nobel and instant election to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Read full review

Michael Phillips

Jul 31, 2014

Get on Up hits all these high points. But the Butterworths fracture the order, fruitfully. They're more interested in making musical and dramatic connections across time and space — something in the '70s triggering a childhood memory, for example — than in laying them out predictably. Read full review

Bilge Ebiri

Aug 1, 2014

Tate Taylor’s film cares less about narrative clarity and more about portraying a life lived between the extremes of sin and grace, between the abject and the sublime. It’s lively, stylized, and genuinely surprising. Read full review

Steve Persall

Jul 31, 2014

Taylor's movie is overly episodic, but a number of those episodes are marvelous. Read full review

IndieWire Eric Kohn

Aug 1, 2014

Though Get On Up never congeals into a satisfactory whole, its fragmentary portrait of the singer at the height of his fame — intercut with his troubled single-parent childhood — effectively shows his invasive power in popular culture. Read full review

Andrew Lowry

Jan 9, 2015

Handsomely mounted and energetically played, this movie captures much of the real genius of James Brown... then obscures it with needless chronological fiddling. Read full review

Ignatiy Vishnevetsky

Jul 30, 2014

Get On Up is the Hollywood biopic at its near-worst — a formless, extravagant assortment of historical incidents and lip-synched musical numbers, which ultimately amount to little more than a 138-minute showcase reel for Chadwick Boseman’s technically impressive and utterly opaque James Brown impression. Read full review

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User Reviews

raajd

Aug 2, 2014

No chance I'm ever going to see a better movie. I loved Get On Up , brilliant movie!!!DO see this! A great movie for the whole family. If you only see one movie this summer see Get On Up !!!

1 of 4 users found this helpful13

GenuineOpinion

Aug 3, 2014

It was SO much better than I thought it was going to be. This movie did some interesting camera transitions, scene transitions, whatever you want to call it. It really put Mr. Dynamite's life into perspective. Excellent movie.

0 of 3 users found this helpful03

BrkrDave

Aug 13, 2014

Great acting by all with Chad Boseman in an Oscar contention performance. The two hours went quickly instead of me looking at my watch every twenty minutes. The only negative to me was in their attempt to cover James Brown's entire life and include all of his music there wasn't any timeGreat acting by all with Chad Boseman in an Oscar contention performance. The two hours went quickly instead of me looking at my watch every twenty minutes. The only negative to me was in their attempt to cover James Brown's entire life and include all of his music there wasn't any time for the details of his life. So much was either left out or skimmed over superficially.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

Spangle

Aug 5, 2014

This one is pretty good and is ultimately a good, fair look at James Brown's life. It did not show just all the success and positivity he had, but it also showed the negative elements of him and his life and, overall, felt very complete and well done. The storytelling could have been aThis one is pretty good and is ultimately a good, fair look at James Brown's life. It did not show just all the success and positivity he had, but it also showed the negative elements of him and his life and, overall, felt very complete and well done. The storytelling could have been a little better (it kept jumping around in time throughout), but the direction was strong for the most part and felt very focused. The soundtrack is also great, as expected. The acting from all is also good, however, the real superstar here is Chadwick Boseman. In a true Oscar nomination-worthy performance, Boseman really embodies Brown to a t and really brings the "funk" and "groove" in his performance and his dance moves. This was a true powerhouse performance from an actor who is clearly somebody on the rise. At the end of the day, it is a biopic and it is hard to cover everything in a person's life in a 2 hour+ time frame, but I think this one did pretty well (even if it did jump around and gloss over some things) and, as I said, felt very fair. But, this one will be remembered as the film that made Boseman into a star, more so than for any other element of it.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

MattBrady99

Sep 7, 2020

Chadwick Boseman is James Brown.

He got the dancing, voice, and mannerisms down. While the movie itself was very messy and at times lost it's focus. A little bit too long as well with some musical scenes dragging on at times. Still, Chadwick Boseman performance makes this movie memorable.Chadwick Boseman is James Brown.

He got the dancing, voice, and mannerisms down.

While the movie itself was very messy and at times lost it's focus. A little bit too long as well with some musical scenes dragging on at times.

Still, Chadwick Boseman performance makes this movie memorable. I have to admit, I got a bit teary eyed watching this, not because of the movie, but because how we lost such a talented actor to a horrible disease.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Lyn

Feb 4, 2015

I can understand why some people would dislike the jumping-around story lines, but I liked the approach. It added to the feeling of volatility that surely was a big part of James Brown's life, and to the feeling of his being haunted by his past. I did feel that the filmmakers put a brightI can understand why some people would dislike the jumping-around story lines, but I liked the approach. It added to the feeling of volatility that surely was a big part of James Brown's life, and to the feeling of his being haunted by his past. I did feel that the filmmakers put a bright 'n' shiny polish on a life that had some sordid, shameful episodes. I'm used to Southern speech patterns, but couldn't make out what the heck Chadwick Boseman was saying at times ... still, his performance had terrific heart & energy and his onstage performances were amazing.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

theotherone55

Aug 10, 2014

Weak attempt at trying to recreate RAY-like cast and atmosphere here.
I think Chadwick Boseman gives a pretty good performance but this lacks originality and uniqueness.
Be here, seen this.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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