Rustin

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It's a narrowly focused biopic on Bayard Rustin's (Colman Domingo) lead role in planning the famous 1963 March of Washington for Jobs and Freedom. The film opens with scant background about the Civil Rights movement, Rustin's friendship with Martin Luther King Jr. (Aml Ameen), and the subsequent temporary break in their relationship in 1960 when rumors surface about a possible sexual relationship because of Rustin's known homosexuality. The bulk of the movie then shifts to Rustin's drive in 1963 to make the March on Washington happen despite the resistance of some Civil Rights leaders like Roy Wilkins (Chris Rock) and Adam Clayton Powell Jr. (Jeffrey Wright). "Rustin" also highlights the complexities caused in that era because of Rustin's relationships with his assistant, Tom Kahn (Gus Halper), and a married minister, Elias Taylor (Johnny Ramey). Many prominent Civil Rights and union leaders appear briefly as characters in the film. "Rustin" is a brave attempt to honor an often-forgotten Civil Rights leader. Colman Domingo is excellent. He portrays a gifted, extroverted organizer who is unapologetic about his sexuality but recognizes the danger his orientation presents to the movement. Ameen, Rock, and Wright are also good in their roles, as is CCH Pounder as labor organizer Anna Hedgeman. "Rustin" begs for more background on why Rustin was so important to Martin Luther King Jr. Rustin, a Quaker pacifist, had an enormous impact on King's emerging philosophy of non-violent resistance. This impact is inadequately addressed. Also, more history on Rustin's philosophical development, marginally hinted at in a few flashbacks, would have strengthened the story. Nonetheless, "Rustin" is worth an evening's watch.

"When we tell ourselves such lies, we do the work of our oppressors." Bayard Rustin (Coleman Domingo) Who gave MLK the platform for his famous "I have a dream" words? None other than Bayard Rustin, the activist, conceptualizer, and organizer of the largest peaceful march on Washington in history. That August demonstration gave Martin Luther King to history while it is now with the docudrama Rustin that Bayard will long be remembered. Even with his posthumous Presidential Medal of Freedom, Rustin was not known as well as he could be. One possible contributor to that neglect was his homosexuality, a notoriously damning attribute in the 1960's. In fact, he was booted from MLK'w inner circle for just that reason. The docudrama takes pains to show the extent and sincerity of his romantic commitments, almost to the extent of being less intense about his organizational skills. If I could carp about the drama's limitation, it would be the excessive time given to his love life rather than to the complex web of dependencies needed to attract and accommodate over 200,000 marchers. Director George C. Wolfe and the accomplished Coleman Domingo (sure to be nominated) keep Rustin lovingly in the foreground while they allow such secondary characters as enemy Adam Clayton Powell (Jeffery Wright) and Roy Wilkins (Chris Rock) to interfere as they did back then. Wright's Powell almost upends a meeting, and possibly the entire demonstrations, as he tries to paint Bayard as a danger to the enterprise. The biggest impediment is his being arrested for lewd conduct with men in Pasadena years ago. In the end, Bayard Rustin organized the biggest peaceful demonstration in the nation's history, whose underpinnings were the principles of non-violent resistance, a condition lasting through today, not withstanding the horror of the Jan 6th riot at the Capitol Thanks to the docudrama, available on Netflix, Bayard Rustin gave the template for peaceful resistance. Thoreau would approve.

A current Netflix original starring the uber man of the movement (who's seemingly in just about everything) Colman Domingo. Domingo here stars as Bayard Rustin, a key figure in the civil rights movement of the 60's (organizing the March on Washington from 1963) who would sometimes let his lesser demons bedevil him when he engaged in homosexual activity. Opening up on a falling out between him & Martin Luther King Jr., Aml Ameen, Domingo manages to stir up interest for the heads of all the other black leaders w/his idea (actually an idea he generally culls from his staff) for the march but his past sexual shortcomings make him a target for their enemies so the powers that be hope to lead the charge instead of Domingo which doesn't please him all that much. Promising to stay on the 'straight' & narrow, even enlisting a former lover, Gus Halper, to be his minder, Domingo holds his promise but then an up & coming preacher, Johnny Ramsey, comes into his orbit & Domingo's resolve which w/the slambang trajectory of the fundraising & backdoor maneuvers to make the march a reality, soon starts to falter. Domingo soon fears his leadership role is in jeopardy & finds it within himself to see the historical action to its fruition. Domingo always a game supporting player (I remember he had a small role in Ava Duvernay's Selma before he broke out big in things like HBO's Euphoria & Fear the Walking Dead) really steps up to the plate in his lead performance which seems to exist for him solely to play it w/ample support from the likes of Glynn Turman, Chris Rock, Audra McDonald, Jeffrey Wright, CCH Pounder & my fave Da'Vine Joy Randolph (currently co-starring on Hulu's Only Murders in the Building) who shows up as Mahalia Jackson (who sang at the March) to make the man who put on the March just as important as the event itself.

In what would have been an increasingly difficult period, Bayard Rustin battles the dramas of a racist and homophobic 1960's America to orchestrate one of the most memorable moments in history. The Obama's production company gives a more than competent film that will certainly be in the talk come award season. Totally engaging and reads very well on screen. It does however come down to the incredible performance of the lead role by Colman Domingo. Undeniably gives his character warmth and empathy, and will no doubt be in the mix for an Oscar. Supporting roles can also be mentioned especially Aml Ameen as MLK Jnr. The connection on screen can only pay homage to the real connection to not just one but now TWO important people in civil rights history. It's not great film, but it is rewarding.

The prevailing thought I had watching Rustin was that the events depicted were probably exactly how they happened in real life. If this were a documentary that'd be fine but as an actual narrative it just made the whole thing feel very surface level. It has none of the style of movies like Selma or BlackkKlansman which made their depictions of this period so captivating to watch. I don't think the film tackles the civil rights issue in any interesting way and while Bayard Rustin's story absolutely deserves to be told I don't think its importance comes through in the finished product. The whole march that the film is building up to just comes and goes before it has a chance to have any impact. Colman Domingo is great, he absolutely does justice to this character and makes the film at least watchable but he deserved a much better script. An important story in and of itself doesn't create for a good narrative without any kind of vision and that's sorely what Rustin was lacking for me.