8/13/21 – PG-13 – 2h 25m – United Artists Releasing

Alan: ⭐⭐⭐⭐✩

Michelle: ⭐⭐⭐⭐✩

Respect is a biopic of Aretha Franklin tracing Aretha’s path from singing solos at her father’s Detroit church to professional success as the Queen of Soul.

Michelle: I love films about musician’s lives and careers as much as I love films about sports legends. Respect had great source material in Aretha Franklin’s music as well as in her personal life. Franklin family friends while she was growing up included Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Dinah Washington. 

Alan: I never feel very enthused about watching biopics but I always enjoy them. The drama mixed with the fact that it is a true story makes them very compelling. Watching Arthetha Franklin grow from a shy young girl to a confident leader of her own music business was absolutely inspiring.

Michelle: While the music was fabulous and the story was very interesting, some movie magic was missing in the film. The movie doesn’t delve into her personal life to show the darkness that her friends and family allude to. The horror of her pregnancy at 12 was passed over with a cut to after her babies are born except for a single flashback to a pregnant 12 year old Aretha standing in a kitchen. The movie doesn’t show Jennifer Hudson acting during any of the breakdowns except for one scene where Aretha drunkenly falls off a stage during a performance.

If the script had allowed the actors to show some of these dark scenes, the emotional aspects of the movie would be improved. Maybe the script tried to be accurate to what is publicly known, but it would’ve been better for the story to add a bit of creative retelling to allow the actors to show the audience the dark parts of Aretha’s life. 

Alan: We got a taste of the darkness in her life, but they chose to focus on the story of her personal growth as a musician instead of her struggle to overcome addiction. I’m glad they made that choice. There was a scene of her workshopping a new song with a group of very talented musicians. I play a bit of music and seeing that process, even though it is probably compressed in time, was wonderful. I think that was my favorite scene in the film.

Michelle: Jennifer Hudson’s renditions of Aretha’s hits were excellent. However, if the songs could’ve been incorporated more into the scenes around where they are played, the music could’ve added to the cinematic experience.

Alan: This movie gave me a deeper understanding of the time in which Arthea Franklin came of age. It had great music. It made me think about how to choose the things that are meaningful to you. I enjoyed it. It ended suddenly. It didn’t keep me super engaged. I give it four stars.

Michelle: Overall, though, I enjoyed the movie and could’ve watched at least another hour of musical performances and more scenes from Aretha’s life. Four stars.