Review of Born to Be Blue (2015) by Kiran M — 03 May 2016
It's Lady Sings The Blues with a white dude, but mostly that speaks to the timelessness of jazz films about beautiful junkies with transcendent talent. Hawke slumps and mumbles much the way I imagine James Dean would have done, which too is a reminder of how archetypal Chet Baker was in both looks and presence.
Carmen Ejogo is masterful in the Billy Dee Williams role, and the film accomplishes much in minimal settings and with a small, stylish cast. Haunting and sad, Born to Be Blue doesn't have something new to say about jazz or addiction - but it says what needs to be said, again.
And Chet Baker deserves his place in the pantheon.
This review of Born to Be Blue (2015) was written by Kiran M on 03 May 2016.
Born to Be Blue has generally received positive reviews.
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