Genius (2017)

Aretha is an uneven yet largely thoughtful, gripping and visually stunning portrait of a generational talent. Its sensitive, though not hagiographic, narrative illuminates a superstar with a widely beloved body of work but a poorly understood biography and inner life.

Deriving its episodic subtitles from Franklin songs, "Genius: Aretha" is a testament to that hard work. And like the best musical biographies, it enhances an appreciation of Franklin's life and career, with an ease and grace that makes it look easy.

Understanding Franklin’s familial relationships are key to her music and her life, but the layers upon layers of context can make some segments drag. This is a dilemma most biopics face, however, and Aretha makes up for it with a bevy of whip-smart performers and breathtaking melodic sequences.

As an extended biopic, “Aretha” is serviceable and fairly thorough. A a showcase for one of the great stars of our time playing one of the greatest stars of all time, it’s a hit.

Genius: Aretha seems content to tell Franklin’s story through signal events in her life. Those broad strokes leave significant narrative gaps, but magnetic singing and acting from Cynthia Erivo goes a long way to keeping it on point.

In Erivo's hands the musical sequences soar, and enough of such scenes run throughout these eight hours to make the show worth devouring whole. But it's not an entirely satisfying experience because this third "Genius" suffers from the same core problem as the Picasso and Einstein seasons, which is that we see little to nothing that illuminates source of Aretha's genius.

["Genius: Aretha"] has an argument, and an opportunity to shake up the format. It does — sometimes. The new “Genius” spends most of its time in routine music-biopic mode: exposition, childhood traumas, historical checkpoints. But in the moments when it finds its groove, thanks to Erivo’s incandescent performance and its insight into Franklin’s process, it socks it to us. ... “Aretha” is a vibrant effort to give her artistry some R-E-S-P-E-C-T, even if we don’t entirely find out what it means to her.

Erivo sustains a quiet strength in dramatic scenes that erupts into passionate fire when she's onstage or in the recording studio. ... [The writing] frequently lapses into fawning biopic cliche. ... To its credit, Genius doesn't present its legendary subject as a saint. [15-28 Mar 2021, p.10]

Erivo does a more than credible job of imitating Franklin’s voice, and producer Raphael Saadiq recreates the sounds of those records, too. But the ongoing unhappiness shown in adult Aretha threatens to turn her into someone you’d hardly want to spend too much time with, which is the exact opposite of the impression Franklin always gave.

"Genius" isn't a dud, and it could never be, not with its subject, Vance's commanding performance or the landmark music it's built around. But while it sings, it's not quite worthy of Aretha's crown.

While the flashbacks can sometimes drain momentum, the show is elevated when they feel truly intertwined with the present-day material.

It’s an informative, at times illuminating — if also sketchy and in some respects superficial — jog through the life of the woman crowned the Queen of Soul by a Chicago disc jockey in 1967, a crown she never took off, however much public tastes and the music business changed around her: American royalty.

The musical moments are fantastic — as is Erivo, who evinces no sign of a British accent — but what comes between the musical numbers is a bit of a slog.

Although it is the most cinematic of the “Genius” installments because of Erivo’s spectacular performance, it never loses the feel that this is a series that requires one to listen to a supplemental podcast.

When it’s firing on all cylinders, it’s a program worthy of its subject matter. However, a messy first half can make for difficult viewing. If you’re a casual Franklin fan, there are better biopic option. But if you’re a diehard, “Genius: Aretha” is still worth a look.

At its best, Genius is a gripping, generational family drama about the pitfalls of putting one’s own needs ahead of those of friends and family, and fame’s unseen costs. But the series never stops getting in its own way.

“Genius: Aretha,” an eight-part miniseries about legendary performer Aretha Franklin, gets many important things right: a powerhouse central performance, mesmerizing musical numbers and impressive re-creations of the 1960s. But an overburdened story line and inconsistent character development prevent the National Geographic project from being the showstopper that it sets out to be.

While inconsistent overall, the series shines brightest when it gives Aretha time and space to take the stage, whether that be in a recording studio, on a variety show, or at the pulpit of a Baptist church swelling with the joy of grateful prayer.

Pretty much all of these [song performances] — along with Clarence’s thunderous sermons — are energetic show-stoppers, which ensure that, at least within each episode, Aretha never flags. ... Erivo and Vance make for a powerhouse duo, mostly compensating for Barrett’s confusingly goofy demeanor and Cross’ inability to disappear into his role. But even they can’t make up for the fact that the repetitive dialogue and over-emphatic direction seem designed for viewers who are only half-watching.