Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		4.5
Audio		5.0
Extras		3.5
Overall		4.5

Get on Up Blu-ray Movie Review

Feel good about adding this terrific release to your Blu-ray collection.

Reviewed by Martin Liebman January 29, 2015

The "singer biopic" is an ever-growing industry almost all to itself, each film telling the sensational stories of a rise to fame, often in the face of various personal hardships and both self-created and externally manufactured roadblocks on the way to the top. Movies like Ray and Walk the Line earned near universal acclaim and pocketed several Oscar wins and a number of additional nominations in their portrayals of Ray Charles and Johnny Cash, respectively. More recent pictures like the excellent The Sapphires follow the tradition, and acclaimed Filmmaker Baz Luhrmann (The Great Gatsby) is said to be at work on a biopic of perhaps the most iconic performer of all time, Elvis Presley, which would certainly be the king of the biopic, conditionally, of course, provided it were to live up to what would undoubtedly be more than lofty expectations. Yet other than Elvis and perhaps Michael Jackson and The Beatles, there's no 20th century musical talent so deserving of the movie treatment than James Brown, heralded as "the hardest working man in show business" and "The Godfather of Soul," a performer who redefined the musical landscape, influenced generations of musicians to follow, and left an indelible mark not only on the industry, but the entire world. Get on Up is an excellent tribute to the late star, a tight, gripping feature that ranks with the best of them (despite its Oscar nomination shutout) as a fun, informative, and wildly enthusiastic look at an American icon as told through snapshots of his life, from early childhood to the years approaching his death on Christmas Day 2006.

Livin' in a man's world.

James Brown (Chadwick Boseman), once a poor young boy raised in a broken home in an isolated backwoods cabin, finds his calling in life in music. The film follows him through his career, examining his influences, key moments in his personal and musical development, and his ascension to stardom. The picture features Nelsan Ellis as Bobby Byrd, once Brown's jailhouse friend and a man who would become a key figure in Brown's life as one of the primary members of his band, The Famous Flames. Yet it was only Brown's individual talents that caught the attention of record producers, all but forcing him into promoting himself rather than his entire group. It was also the beginning a relationship with his longtime manager, Ben Bart (Dan Aykroyd). The film also examines Brown's evolving personal life and various tragedies that befell him and those he most deeply loved.

Get on Up doesn't tell a linear story but rather a purposefully nonlinear story that contextualizes Brown's life and provides a more intimate flavor that finds the moments that shape the man and, by extension, the performer. Director Tate Taylor's (The Help) picture never feels jumbled, though. It's alive and vigorous in its portrayal, using time as a tool to both convey and reinforce Brown's career path and the choices along the way, juxtaposed against where he began and where he finished. With some careful and considered editing, the picture manages to surprise with how well it moves around but at the same time remains grounded as a thoughtful journey through Brown's life. The end result is a unique flow of lows and high point punctuations, both of which give shape to the character and better define key moments through juxtaposition rather than standard progression. In the portrayal of various key points in Brown's life -- whether dealing with record executives and talent managers or unwillingly reconnecting with his life before fame -- the film makes sure to carefully, not haphazardly, provide a full-circle arrangement of deeper ideas into the very recesses of Brown's being that mold him both as a musician and as a man, two interconnected and inseparable parts of the James Brown experience that formed the very essence of every feel-good vocal that made him an icon around the world.

Yet the film shines brightest through star, Chadwick Boseman. The actor, who portrayed another historic figure -- Jackie Robinson -- in the sensational 42, finds another level of excellence in Get on Up. His performance runs deeper than the superficialities -- the costumes, the hairstyles -- and even the impressive vocalization. Boseman doesn't simply inject the character with qualities; he instead seems transformed by Brown's characteristics, almost as if guided by an inner voice or, at the very least, a deeply impressive understanding of the figure he so richly portrays. Regardless of any ups and downs or the demands of the musical performances, Boseman demonstrates a keen sense of person as well as Brown's place in and importance to history, much as he did in his depiction of Robinson in 42. While Brown's impact on culture wasn't quite so groundbreaking and historically important as Robinson's accomplishments, Boseman shows an appreciation for James Brown the man, his life, and his talent that's reflected beyond those externals that are certainly important for promotional materials and creating a baseline believable biopic but prove largely secondary to his soulful personification of the Godfather of Soul. The film is home to several impressive supporting performances, notably from Nelsan Ellis, who portrays Brown's longtime friend and fellow performer Bobby Boyd; Dan Aykroyd as Brown's manager; and Viola Davis and Lennie James as Brown's parents.

Get on Up Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Get on Up's 1080p transfer, sourced from a digital shoot, looks fantastic. It's clean and precise, appearing only the slightest bit "digital flat." The image produces outstandingly crisp and accurate details, which include the finest little textures on clothes, small flaws and bits of wear on various surfaces, fallen leaves and green vegetation, and of course faces which reveal with pinpoint accuracy every bead of sweat, pore, line, and bit of makeup. Colors are sparkling, a touch warm, as many period pieces tend to reveal, but showing lifelike accuracy otherwise and a pleasing vibrance that brings out primaries and more nuanced shades alike with perceptible realism. Black levels are generally deep with only one or two shots appearing to drift a little too pale. Skin tones are never problematic in color. The image appears free of blockiness and features only minimal noise and banding (predominantly emanating from a bright light source pointed directly at the camera). In short, this is a terrific presentation from Universal.

Get on Up Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Sound is unsurprisingly key in Get on Up, and Universal's DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack is up to the challenge of bringing the movie's ambitious soundtrack to life. The track is big, dynamic, and fully engaging, not only in its musical delivery but in many support pieces that are just as important and just as sonically well designed. The movie begins with voices drifting around the stage, placed with care and precision in any and all of the speakers in the 5.1 configuration. A shotgun blast that follows near film's open hits hard and violently so, as does a blast from a revolver a bit later on. During a sequence featuring Brown en route to entertain troops in Vietnam, his plane comes under anti-airfraft fire. Shells can be heard zipping all over the listening area, popping far from and near to the aircraft. An explosion a few moments later is as tough and deeply pronounced as most any similar effect that might be heard in a War film. But it's the music that truly excels. Instrument clarity is rich and precise throughout the range, playing with a full, effortless big stage sensation that easily transports the listener to both the recording studio and, particularly, the performance hall. Vocals are rich and detailed in that classic James Brown tone. Crowd cheers and other assorted noises associated with the performances are lively and satisfying as they fully engulf the listener into the experience. Light ambient effects help better shape some lower-key scenes, particularly those depicting a young James Brown in his woodland surroundings. Dialogue delivery is crisp and flows efficiently from the center channel. This is a superb soundtrack that's of reference quality every step of the way.

Get on Up Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Get on Up contains a healthy variety of supplements. A DVD and an iTunes/UV digital copy code are included in the Blu-ray case.

• Deleted/Extended/Alternate Scenes (1080p): Joe & Susie Fight (0:52), Meeting Mick Jagger (1:26), Alone in the Woods (2:51), Parole Board (1:40), Big Junior's Lesson (0:55), Awake to the Brothel (1:32), Push the Car to Money (1:27), Olympia Backstage #1 - Ready Mr. Brown (1:11), Olympia Backstage #2 - Groove Fine (1:02), and Jailhouse Epiphany (2:05).
• Full Song Performances (1080p): Out of Sight (2:38), Steal Away (Steal Away to Jesus) (1:39), I'll Go Crazy (2:20), and Cold Sweat (2:47).
• Extended Song Performances (1080p): "Please, Please, Please" -- Recording Session & Montage (4:09), "Please, Please, Please" -- Live Performance (1:52), and "Say It Loud I'm Black and I'm Proud" (1:26).
• Long Journey to the Screen (1080p, 3:58): A look at the process of getting the movie off the ground, including hiring Director Tate Taylor and, of course, building a picture based on James Brown's life.
• Chadwick Boseman: Meet Mr. James Brown (1080p, 11:25): A good piece that looks at the challenges of casting for James Brown and all the requirements necessary to play the part. It also features Boseman's early hesitance to take the part coming off 42, preparing for the dance and song performances, and his quick transformation into character both physically and internally. The piece concludes with lengthy praise for his performance.
• The Get on Up Family (1080p, 6:27): A look at some of the secondary characters and the performers who portray them.
• On Stage with the Hardest Working Man (1080p, 6:25): Cast and crew briefly look at recreating some of the key real-life moments in the movie.
• The Founding Father of Funk (1080p, 13:19): Cast and crew reflect on Brown's style, music, his life and work beyond music with emphasis on his social contributions, his influence on modern music, and his legacy beyond music.
• Tate Taylor's Master Class (1080p, 6:57): Dancing -- and a little more -- to James Brown music.
• Audio Commentary: Director/Producer Tate Taylor shares a detailed, if not fairly dry, commentary. While recapping scenes and moments and offering some anecdotal insights, he provides some valuable detail on the film's performances, shooting locations, and more.

Get on Up Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Get on Up is an intoxicating movie experience, a film that proudly displays both an enthusiasm for its subject and a professionalism in its careful construction (though the film's historical accuracy has been subject of much debate and online key-crunching). It's a movie centered on shaping a life, not simply depicting a life. It's not simply about high energy music but rather finding the soul within The Godfather of Soul. It's no so much about what made him a great performer -- that's a gift from above -- but rather what made him find it, embrace it, pursue it, and make it his life, including all of the ups and downs that come with stardom and the pressures of life in the spotlight. The film is solidified by an exceptionally strong performance from Chadwick Boseman that digs beyond externals and demonstrates a rare understanding of the subject well beyond the things for which James Brown is known. This is a complete, highly satisfying motion picture that should rightly be remembered alongside the best of the ever-growing subset of singer biopics. Universal's Blu-ray is equally impressive. Terrific video, engaging audio, and a healthy array of extra content make this a must-own package and one of the best releases yet in 2015. Highly recommended.