Chadwick Boseman delivers a wonderful performance, but *‘Get on Up’* doesn't quite reach the level of a truly exceptional biopic. I found it very enjoyable nonetheless; I generally like biographical films, particularly when I don’t have much prior knowledge about the subject, which was my experience with James Brown. I recognized him and some of his popular songs, but that was essentially all I knew. Boseman is really what holds the film together, though he wasn't working in isolation – there are other actors who did good work as well. Dan Aykroyd gives a dependable performance, while Octavia Spencer and Viola Davis are welcome additions to the cast. Lennie James appears too, although his role is fairly minor. Despite all of that, I felt like something was absent. It’s hard to say exactly what it is. From early on, I struggled to connect with the main character; maybe that was deliberate. The moments where the film breaks the fourth wall didn't entirely work for me either. The movie runs 139 minutes, and the way Boseman and the other actors portray aging isn’t particularly convincing – which is a drawback, since the film begins with an aged scene that left a strong impression. As I mentioned earlier, my limited knowledge of James Brown's life didn't detract from my enjoyment, although I have watched other biopics without knowing much about their subjects and it didn’t impact how much I liked them. Beyond the cast, there are still some things to appreciate. I appreciated the way the story unfolds in a non-linear fashion, and the cinematography is pleasing. The music also integrates well into the film. Overall, I would suggest seeing this movie. It had everything it needed to be even more impressive.

Source on TMDB