Respect

The inimitable Aretha Franklin was justly considered the ‘Queen of Soul’ during her remarkable and troubled lifetime, and Liesl Tommy’s biopic more than does justice to the church-choir singer turned global superstar. Starting when Franklin was age 9 and occasionally singing in her minister-father’s (Forest Whitaker) choir, the film traces her rise and her rebellion against the controlling men in her life. Of course, the movie hinges on the central performance of Jennifer Hudson—who was chosen by Aretha herself to play the role before Franklin’s death in 2018—and she is nothing short of marvellous. To hear her belting out the title song is pure pleasure.

‘Tommy and writer Tracey Scott Wilson are making their cinematic debuts with this sturdy retelling of Franklin’s early life and career… Any stage, of course, needs a star who can command the space. That the story intermittently recedes into the background might be problematic, were it not for the fact that the spotlight remains resolutely focused on a captivating Jennifer Hudson… Hudson, an Oscar winner for “Dreamgirls,” calibrates her performance with a lovely subtlety.’—Elizabeth Weitzman, The Wrap