One historical evening can transform an entire movement, and February 25th, 1964, was no exception. Muhammad Ali née Cassius Clay, Malcolm X, Sam Cooke, and Jim Brown, came together to celebrate a historic boxing win. The rest is truly history in Regina King’s One Night In Miami.
No one could ever imagine nor predict just how transformative that night truly is except for perhaps Kemp Powers (Soul). Spotlighting Powers’ original stage play, Regina King’s One Night in Miami is a knockout.
While there is no “correct” way to start a revolution, the four trailblazers each have a pivotal hand in setting up the framework for the transformative #BlackLivesMatter movement we’re seeing.
A fictional imagining of that one historic night, we see the four men engaged in a passionate discourse. Each sparks a quiet impassioned fire within another, unbeknownst of the impact. The four men were each on the precipice of their legendary status without realizing it.
This reimaging seems paradoxical; however, what remains the same is history itself. The more we evolve and grow, the more stagnate progress seems. Especially now more than ever.
Thus, the film’s importance. Viewers are re-introduced to Malcolm X (Kinglsey Ben-Adir) and Muhammad Ali née Cassius Clay (Eli Goree) as their paths intertwine.
Malcolm hopes to garner Clay’s future support. Meanwhile, Clay makes a career-defining moment in history by defeating former heavyweight champion Sonny Liston.
Simultaneously, football legend Jim Brown (Aldis Hodge) faces self-retrospection with his football future. Not to mention Sam Cooke (Leslie Odom Jr.) preserving forward while hypnotizing us with his incredibly moving talent.
Yet, as the evening progresses, we see the four men’s layers as they engage in earnest conversations about their roles as public figures and leaders at intersectional moments in the Civil Rights Movement. Viewers see valid questions and everyday intricacies of finding oneself while letting go of our publicly perceived version.
Like the four iconic men, King channels a similar unapologetic and ferocious energy resulting in a dazzling and engaging film. It’s this long-proven prowess that solidifies King’s shine, similarly to her fellow icons, respectfully. Regina King’s One Night in Miami isn’t her magnum opus; it’s merely a sampling of what’s to come.
Ultimately, the conversations among the men speak volumes, especially now more than ever. Naturally, the parallels of the film and the signs of the times are enhanced.
Frankly, it maximizes the inner complexities and accountability levels that often get muddled and grey. While humanizing the icons we revere so much, Powers lays the groundwork for King’s coup de grâce.
