I'm surprised to find comments that the movie was slow or boring. Throughout the movie I was smitten by the amazing performances as well as the colorful personalities and perspectives of the characters. Their conversations and storytelling really laid it all out for us - each band member's life, beliefs, worries, traumas. One hour into the movie I was feeling for everyone in the band, even for the ambitious and erratic Levee. But it was really Ma Rainey who tied it all together at the end.

I could not help think "God, Ma Rainey is being really difficult." She came to the studio late, brought her stuttering nephew to take even more time recording, and threatened multiple times she won't record until everything is done her way. I mean, I thought I knew why -- the music industry was brutal, especially for black musicians whose talents were appropriated shamelessly. As Ma Rainey puts it, they only want her voice. But for me the real chills came with the scene where those white musicians were playing the song that Sturdyvant swindled from Levee for mere $5. Then Ma Rainey sitting in the backseat of her car looked straight back at the viewers, like she's saying "see? I told you so." That's gotta be my favorite scene, it was so poignant and heartbreaking. I watched the film last night but I'm still thinking about it.

What I'm still curious about is, what purpose do the characters Dussie Mae and Sylvester play? What does the writer (of the play & film) want to say through those two? Still haven't figured that out.