There’s been considerable discussion surrounding Aretha Franklin’s selection of Jennifer Hudson for this look at her early years, but I'm left to consider how Ms. Franklin might have felt about everyone else involved. Jennifer Hudson shines when she sings; she conveys a good deal of the energy and breadth of Franklin’s talent. However, as an actress, her performance isn’t quite as strong, and this is compounded by a …

I thought this was a worthwhile film and found myself entertained by it. Still, I can’t imagine revisiting it anytime soon; it gave me a sense of déjà vu. That makes sense to me because stories about women—even famous ones—tend to follow similar patterns regarding difficult fathers and problematic marriages. Cliches exist for a reason: many situations are so commonplace that they become predictable. What would have m…