Never bet against Regina King. She’s won Oscars, Golden Globes, and multiple Emmys for her work in front of the camera, and now with One Night in Miami she’s poised to win her first Academy Award as Best Director. Seriously, don’t be surprised if she takes the gold.
The acclaimed film has been burning up the festival circuit, and centers on a fictional account of a real 1964 meeting between Malcolm X, Sam Cooke, Cassius Clay, and Jim Brown. All outspoken black men in a time of great racial turmoil, the film finds them as close friends who are each at a crossroads in their lives and careers. The cast is led by Kingsley Ben-Adir, Eli Goree, Aldis Hodge, and Leslie Odom Jr.
A new level of urgency due to the Black Lives Matter movement has only made the film more timely. As each of these icons struggles with the politics of the time, it only goes to highlight the challenges of today. Yes, I was a big fan and can’t wait for more people to see it.
One Night in Miami hits Amazon Prime on January 15th, but will be seen in select theaters beginning Christmas Day.
SYNOPSIS: Set on the night of February 25, 1964, the story follows a young Cassius Clay as he emerges from the Miami Beach Convention Center as the World Heavyweight Boxing Champion. Against all odds, he’s defeated Sonny Liston and shocked the world of boxing. While crowds of people swarm Miami Beach’s hotspots to celebrate the match, Clay — unable to stay on the island because of Jim Crow-era segregation laws — spends the night at the Hampton House Motel in Miami’s Overtown neighborhood celebrating with three of his friends: activist Malcolm X, singer Sam Cooke and football star Jim Brown. The next morning, the men emerge determined to define a new world. In One Night in Miami, Powers aims to pinpoint exactly what happened during those pivotal hours. Featuring the music of Cooke, including his hit song, “A Change Is Gonna Come,” the film offers a piercing narrative for the evening, which challenges the four men, strips them bare and reveals them for who they were.
