Bessie

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Bessie

TV-MA

2015

2h 0m

Drama

Biography

Music

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

91%

Tomatometer

32 Reviews

68%

Popcornmeter

500+ Ratings

Blues singer Bessie Smith (Queen Latifah) rises to fame in the 1920s to become a musical legend.

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Critics Consensus

Strong performances, led by Queen Latifah, overpower a middling script in the entertaining and informative Bessie.

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Gabrielle Rivera

Autostraddle

Queen Latifah ever so capably maneuvers Bessie from any sort of static strong-Black-woman archetype and weaves a palpable vulnerability, an ache for love, into her portrayal and it's glorious.

Aug 12, 2021

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Neil Genzlinger

New York Times

Bessie shows us an assortment of moments from that life but doesn't really make us feel it, despite Queen Latifah's best efforts.

Dec 3, 2015

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Verne Gay

Newsday

Well-made biopic absent a whole lot of music and -- as a result -- much emotional resonance.

Rated: B-

Dec 3, 2015

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Michael Cuby

them.

Bessie is a biopic worthy of its subject.

Sep 26, 2022

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Terry Staunton

Radio Times

This gritty biography... celebrates the singer's extraordinary talent and confronts the prejudices of the era that stood in her way.

Rated: 3/5

Nov 9, 2021

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Jen Colletta

Philadelphia Gay News

It's an unforgettable journey.

May 26, 2020

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Alex Z

Ik was zeer onder de indruk van Bessie haar voeten. Haar teennagels waren mooi glanzend afgewerkt met een wit randje. Het was alleen een beetje aan prijzige kant voor wat je krijgt ( 3 foto's ) vandaar 4 uit de 5 sterren. Maar over de kwaliteit valt niet te klagen! Zeker een aanradar!

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

10/19/23

Full Review

Audience Member

The movie had a great mix of fun and soul searching moments that will continually raw you in. The imagery and music was captivating. The movie also shinned light struggles of mental health, gender and racial bias. Bessie is encouraging and relateable as she experiences heart break and dissapointment while chasing her dreams. I loved Queen in this movie but Monique was also a star.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/14/23

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Audience Member

Absolutely fantastic! Some plot points felt a tad rushed and so a bit disjointed, but overall the film was strong in it's, script, visual choices and acting. As always Rees and Latifa are always making powerful choices that draw the audience into the emotions of the story.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

02/11/23

Full Review

tom m

Okay. The story seems somewhat common … rise, fall, recovery. It was interesting to watch this after watching "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom" since Ma Rainey played a supporting role in this story.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Queen Latifa is an untapped genius. Her charisma is 100%. This is a beautiful movie. The acting, cinematography, editing are all spot on. I was mesmerized!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/11/23

Full Review

Audience Member

She was no church choir girl, but a foul mouthed licentious drunk. Every song she wrote sounded just like the last one. It was the musicians that made the songs sound better. This movie is filled with hard to like characters including Bessie.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

02/05/23

Full Review

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Dee Rees

Director

Queen Latifah

Bessie Smith

Michael Kenneth Williams

Jack Gee

Khandi Alexander

Viola

Mike Epps

Richard

Tika Sumpter

Lucille

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Synopsis

Blues singer Bessie Smith (Queen Latifah) rises to fame in the 1920s to become a musical legend.

Director: Dee Rees
Producer: Ron Schmidt
Screenwriter: Dee Rees, Christopher Cleveland, Bettina Gilois
Production Co: HBO Films
Rating: TV-MA
Genre: Drama, Biography, Music
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 20, 2016
Runtime: 2h 0m

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