Miles Ahead

I watched Miles Ahead and the acting was superb by Cheadle. However there were key things about Miles that were left out. There was no mention of his marriage to Cicely Tyson. There was no inference to Miles Tutu project which was one of the avante garde "Miles Ahead" projects. I was disturbed that Cheadle had to add a fictional character to get this movie out front and to the public with funding. Miles was a very complex man, and he let his music talk for his journey through life. The overplay on drugs and violence all feeds into a negative stereotype that is seen played out in the media propaganda tool. Almost everyone was aware of Miles drug problem. I was really disappointed and expected more. Cheadle captured the "chemical side" of Miles but never that true duality and desire to create while also disconnecting from the world to create a masterpiece influenced by the actions of the world. The young lady that played his wife Frances Taylor was mesmerizing and helped to make this movie palatable. Miles was Miles, but this was not Miles who regrouped and did great music after a five year hiatus up until his death. I have always loved Don Cheadle's work. I have listened to Miles since a child, and remember how much I loved Sketches of Spain. Also You're Under Arrest. Too much was left out of this complex man's life. Cheadle did a good job of depicting the conflict that is raging within creative geniuses such as Miles Davis. He could have gone a little deeper. Miles was not your typical "jazz" musician. A lot was missed. It would have been a lot better if it would have been from 1980 until 1991 when he died. He created a lot of great music and had many transitions that should have been included. This would have made Miles Ahead a step ahead of this production. I give it three stars due to the fact that I have been a musician all my life and an avid listener of the innovative styles of Miles Davis and have seen all of the contextual contours of the changes in his music as he went through various life changes. I applaud Cheadle for this effort. I look forward to a production that gives a much more thorough examination of Miles Davis. I applaud Cheadle. I know what he was up against to try to make this movie. Maybe Cheadle can reboot and do a much more comprehensive cinematic examination of Miles Davis. This movie only captured the year that Miles came back and the series of flashbacks. Emayatzy Corinealdi was stunning. I liked her energy. Her resemblance to Lela Rochon is uncanny. I see her going to many great places in the near future. Miles Ahead fell a little flat for me. Good effort.

Don Cheadle Directs Himself as Miles Davis, Nice Job on what If I remember correctly is his directorial debut. The film ping-pongs back and forth from the early 80's, right before Miles comes back from a 5 year or so hiatus to the 50's/60's era when he was married to dancer Frances Taylor. The film has a madcap side to it with Ewan Mcgregor in a fun turn as a Rolling Stone reporter out to interview Miles and almost doubling as Miles' sidekick in a romp through the city (New York?) in the early 80's. I don't want to give much away but I recommend the film, it is pretty amusing and jazz + biopic fans will find much to enjoy!

Greetings again from the darkness. What would rate as the bigger challenge: defining jazz or describing the life of Miles Davis? In true "passion project" mode, Don Cheadle not only portrays the iconic trumpeter, but also directs, co-writes and co-produces. Cheadle's tribute to The Prince of Darkness is as open to interpretation as the hundreds of songs from Davis' recordings over thirty plus years. Having stated in numerous interviews that he had no interest in the usual "cradle-to-grave" biopic, Cheadle's odd blend of fact, fiction and hallucination are meant to capture the essence of Miles Davis, rather than the life and times of the man. Guns, drugs, music, girls, and art are all present throughout this trippy trip of a movie that plays like an impressionistic painting, and not a portrait. The bulk of the film is spent on Miles Davis during his self-imposed six year drug-fueled hiatus in the 1970's when he secluded himself in Howard Hughes fashion. There is an odd and ill-fitting plot involving the "secret" master tapes that Davis has recorded while waiting for his manager (Michael Stuhlbarg as Harper Hamilton) to pay him the money he is owed. Mixed in is a "Rolling Stone" writer named Dave Brill (Ewan McGregor) desperately trying to get an interview with Miles and listen to the tapes. This mad caper-ish core benefits greatly from the quick cuts to the past … especially those featuring Frances Taylor (Emayatzy Corinealdi) as Miles' beautiful, talented and supportive wife. Of course, we shouldn't expect linear story-telling from a man whose life was anything but linear. After all, we are focused on the man who claimed his music was not "jazz", but rather "Social Music" … and that "it takes a long time to play like yourself". The car chases and gunfights might seem out of place, but do capture the essence of a man fueled by drugs and a possible (temporary) loss of his creative genius. Perhaps, as the movie suggests, Miles was remorseful for how he treated Frances. Or maybe it was simply the pressure of being Miles Davis …. The coolest of Cool Jazz. Mr. Cheadle does a nice job in portraying Davis, and is spot on in the trademark raspy whisper which Miles was known for (the after-effects of a larynx operation in the 1950's). Ms. Corinealdi (to appear in the new "Roots" project later this year) is outstanding as Frances Taylor, and is the one character we latch on to in hopes of maintaining our bearings throughout. Taking its title from a 1957 Miles Davis album, the movie offers a glimpse into the mind of a musical genius who didn't always fit into "proper" society, and would be the perfect pairing for a head-scratching trumpeter double-bill with the recent "Born to be Blue", a look at Chet Baker.

source: Miles Ahead

Don Cheadle Directs Himself as Miles Davis, Nice Job on what If I remember correctly is his directorial debut. The film ping-pongs back and forth from the early 80's, right before Miles comes back from a 5 year or so hiatus to the 50's/60's era when he was married to dancer Frances Taylor. The film has a madcap side to it with Ewan Mcgregor in a fun turn as a Rolling Stone reporter out to interview Miles and almost doubling as Miles' sidekick in a romp through the city (New York?) in the early 80's. I don't want to give much away but I recommend the film, it is pretty amusing and jazz + biopic fans will find much to enjoy!

I watched Miles Ahead and the acting was superb by Cheadle. However there were key things about Miles that were left out. There was no mention of his marriage to Cicely Tyson. There was no inference to Miles Tutu project which was one of the avante garde "Miles Ahead" projects. I was disturbed that Cheadle had to add a fictional character to get this movie out front and to the public with funding. Miles was a very complex man, and he let his music talk for his journey through life. The overplay on drugs and violence all feeds into a negative stereotype that is seen played out in the media propaganda tool. Almost everyone was aware of Miles drug problem. I was really disappointed and expected more. Cheadle captured the "chemical side" of Miles but never that true duality and desire to create while also disconnecting from the world to create a masterpiece influenced by the actions of the world. The young lady that played his wife Frances Taylor was mesmerizing and helped to make this movie palatable. Miles was Miles, but this was not Miles who regrouped and did great music after a five year hiatus up until his death. I have always loved Don Cheadle's work. I have listened to Miles since a child, and remember how much I loved Sketches of Spain. Also You're Under Arrest. Too much was left out of this complex man's life. Cheadle did a good job of depicting the conflict that is raging within creative geniuses such as Miles Davis. He could have gone a little deeper. Miles was not your typical "jazz" musician. A lot was missed. It would have been a lot better if it would have been from 1980 until 1991 when he died. He created a lot of great music and had many transitions that should have been included. This would have made Miles Ahead a step ahead of this production. I give it three stars due to the fact that I have been a musician all my life and an avid listener of the innovative styles of Miles Davis and have seen all of the contextual contours of the changes in his music as he went through various life changes. I applaud Cheadle for this effort. I look forward to a production that gives a much more thorough examination of Miles Davis. I applaud Cheadle. I know what he was up against to try to make this movie. Maybe Cheadle can reboot and do a much more comprehensive cinematic examination of Miles Davis. This movie only captured the year that Miles came back and the series of flashbacks. Emayatzy Corinealdi was stunning. I liked her energy. Her resemblance to Lela Rochon is uncanny. I see her going to many great places in the near future. Miles Ahead fell a little flat for me. Good effort.

Miles Ahead: the Film's Ending Saves Davis Miles Ahead is an interesting take on the life of the jazz master. It's not a standard biopic telling a tale of the rise, then fall, then rebirth of an artist. Miles Ahead starts toward the end of his career when he is 'taking a break' from performing and recording. We learn that Davis has a deal with Colombia Records to start recording again, but he has yet to follow up when the film starts. Several plot lines run throughout the film. However, the only one that is fully explored is his marriage. It runs the standard arc of plots with an introduction, conflict, plot points and resolution. The other stories within this film are not so successfully explored. We have an idea why Davis took time off, but we don't get the full picture of his talents and his method for writing. More time spent on his work and less time with his interactions with the record label and the Rolling Stone magazine writer would have made this film more profound and enjoyable. Don Cheadle is excellent at embodying the conflicts of the artist. It is not a salute to an idol, it is a full exposé, the talent, his influence, his trouble working with others, his addictions, and his struggle with fame. Davis at once hates his fame and desires to focus on the music while also uses it to get what he wants and to manipulate others. It's his love-hate relationship with his stardom that is the crux of the film in like of his past. However, the film doesn't go deep enough to satisfy your regular audience member that knows little about the man. A major problem with the film is that while is does well in presenting the marriage and his conflicts with his fame, it also stupidly tries to be an action film. The relationship with the Rolling Stone writer just distracts from the heart of the story and plays out like a Three Stooges bit. Ewan McGregor is out of place as writer Dave Brill and can't bring enough charisma to the screen to make it work. The plot line with the writer is an annoying distraction from the acting of Cheadle and the struggles of an artist. Thus, for all its good, and it has a lot of good, I only recommend two-thirds of the film. Fortunately, the ending is so well done that it salvages the good in the film. Rating: Matinée Cheadle is excellent at playing Davis, but his poor writing and directing decisions detract from what is an otherwise interesting film about a master musician. Peace, Tex Shelters

Anyone interested in a film about a real, hugely gifted, but seriously flawed jazz musician and directed by an actor should check out 'Bird', a more or less straightforward account of Charlie Parker directed by Clint Eastwood and one that is light years rather than miles ahead of this ego trip by Don Cheadle. It's difficult to see exactly who Cheadle is targeting here. Most people who like jazz and many with only a nodding acquaintance with the art form identify Davis as 1) a slightly eccentric performer (I saw him in concert once and he played for something like two hours without speaking a word, with his back to the audience the whole time and without acknowledging applause or identifying any of the dozen or so numbers he played) or, 2) an innovator with an 'introspective' trumpet style, widely identified with 'the birth of the cool' largely via an iconic album 'Kinda Blue'. Not much, if indeed any of this comes through in Cheadle's ego trip. Instead he gives us a Davis in a fallow period long after his early success and when he has been away from jazz for several years and is devoting his time to the pursuit and ingestion of cocaine. For good measure Cheadle introduces an entirely fictitious reporter for Rolling Stone who is looking for an 'angle' on Davis. Ewan McGregor is about as convincing as a reporter as Elton John would be as Ghandi and it is by far the worst performance of McGregor's career. Trumpet Blues indeed.

As a big Miles Davis fan i was looking forward to this Movie. Miles was a complex character with an amazing history. Not just the music, but the incredible personal struggle with Racism, Drugs, the personal turbulent relationships. all make for a truly troubled interesting Story. And then there's his interaction with his band members,some of the greatest musicians of all time. All going on to make the music evolve, and all inspired by his presence. None of the above was dealt with in this picture. The Direction was uninspired, trying to be to slick. like a first grade film school exercise. I,m not sure what the intention of the Director was? only that the Director was the star of the film, so a loss of focus on the main character, Miles, became lets be clever with showing my face as Miles in as many different ways that i can. The story was very strange, it felt like money was being spent on Slickness and not on the script. Which should never be secondary. I have read that this was a labour of Love for Don Cheadle, the love of Miles Davis I'm not sure. The Love of Himself probably Yes. Sorry for the negative review, i just didn't like it in any way. I'm not sure why this movie has been made in this way.

On Miles Ahead Miles Ahead is not a documentary. Neither would I call this film a biopic. It doesn't describe Bee Bop, nor does it exhibit the thrills of live vintage performances once showcased at one of the world's most famous Jazz venues, The Village Vanguard. It's not about Mile's many addictions and never explores his International acclaim. Miles Ahead is a moment in Jazz History. It details a passionate protest, an objection to or disapproval of something, either formally or publicly. In this case, Don Cheadle's Miles Ahead is about both. Throughout the film, Miles's only mission is to reclaim a master copy of his Music of which Columbia Records subsequently owns. Columbia's mission, on the other hand, is to have complete ownership of Mile's music and that included 'Someday My Prince will Come', the album which features a picture of Frances, the love of his life (or so we think) on the cover. Knowing this, Davis quickly demonstrates his objection by reminding Columbia's executives that 'HIS MUSIC' was truly his and for this reason, Don Cheadle as Miles Davis stops at nothing in order to take back and control what he believed was rightfully his own. If you come out of the theater knowing one thing about Miles Davis, Let it be that Mile's music was sacred to him, more important than his marriage, his reputation or his many addictions.