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A Jazzman's Blues

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A Jazzman's Blues
Promotional release poster
Directed byTyler Perry
Written byTyler Perry
Produced byTyler Perry
Starring
CinematographyBrett Pawlak
Edited byMaysie Hoy
Music byAaron Zigman
Production
company
Distributed byNetflix
Release dates
  • September 11, 2022 (2022-09-11) (TIFF)
  • September 23, 2022 (2022-09-23) (United States)
Running time
127 minutes[1]
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

A Jazzman's Blues is a 2022 American drama film written, produced and directed by Tyler Perry. The film stars Joshua Boone, Amirah Vann, Solea Pfeiffer, Austin Scott, and Ryan Eggold.

A Jazzman's Blues premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 11, 2022, and was released on September 23, 2022, by Netflix.

Plot

In 1987, an elderly lady, Hattie Mae, visits Johnathan, the current Attorney General of Hopewell, Georgia, who is seeking re-election through his racist political ideologies. Hattie asks him to solve the murder of her son, Bayou, who was lynched in Hopewell in 1947, by providing his extensive letters to his love, Leanne Harper.

Bayou comes from an extensive family of musicians, with his talents being a singer while his brother Willie Earl plays instruments. Bayou meets Leanne, an educated but outcast girl, and the two fall in love. They have secret meetings at night, but they are unable to be together publicly due to the disapproval of her family, including her grandfather who sexually abuses her. They become separated after Leanne's mother forces her to move to Boston.

The two encounter each other again in 1947 after Leanne moves back. Bayou helps his mother run a successful juke joint, while Leanne is married to politician John, the brother of Sheriff Jackson, and is forced by her mother to pass as white for financial stability. The two reconnect and rekindle their love in secret. When Leanne's mother catches them together again, she lies to the sheriff, claiming that Bayou had whistled at Leanne. To escape the mob coming to lynch him, Bayou is whisked off with Willie Earl and Willie's manager, Ira, to Chicago where he becomes an unexpected hit at the Capital Royale club.

Despite his success, he is unable to forget Leanne. When he hears she's given birth to a baby, he realizes that she has given birth to his son and he plans a one-night return to Hattie Mae's juke joint to rescue her. Under the guise of returning to help revive his mother's juke joint, Bayou makes his way back to Georgia. Willie Earl, jealous of his brother's success, tips off Sheriff Jackson that Bayou is back in town. Bayou is reunited with Leanne and their baby, but a mob lynches Bayou to the distress of Leanne and Bayou's family.

Johnathan, who is Leanne's son, is stunned after reading the letters and concludes that he is Bayou's son and Hattie Mae's grandson. Johnathan visits his mother and hands over the letters Bayou had intended to send to her, moving her to tears. He then goes outside and is left to reckon with the truth of his birth.

Cast

  • Joshua Boone as Bayou
  • Amirah Vann as Hattie Mae
  • Solea Pfeiffer as Leanne
    • Waltrudis Buck as Elderly Leanne
  • Austin Scott as Willie Earl
  • Ryan Eggold as Ira
  • Brent Antonello as John
  • Brad Benedict as Sheriff Jackson
  • Milauna Jemai Jackson as Citsy
  • Lana Young as Ethel
  • E. Roger Mitchell as Buster
  • Kario Marcel as Johnathan
  • Corey Champagne as LeRoy

Production

Tyler Perry wrote the screenplay, his first, in 1995.[2] Lionsgate acquired the rights to the film in November 2006, with plans to begin production the following summer.[3] In April 2008, it was slated to be Perry's next film following The Family That Preys (2008) with a tentative release in 2009.[4] During a press junket for Madea Goes to Jail (2009), Perry expressed he had wanted to cast Diana Ross for a role but she had yet to respond. Perry explained, "I want her in the film. I've been sending flowers. I've been sending people by her. I've been sending emails to people who know her. I've talked to the man who walks her dog. I've been trying to locate where she's at."[5] Perry continually delayed production on the film in hopes she would "say yes ...I just wish she would do it." The role, in particular, was that of a jazz singer who runs a juke joint.[6] By December 2013, Perry admitted he had "given up" on casting Ross in the film.[7]

On March 23, 2021, it was announced that Perry would direct the film A Jazzman's Blues for Netflix, with Joshua Boone and Solea Pfeiffer on board to star.[8] On May 7, 2021, Brent Antonello, Brad Benedict, Ryan Eggold, Milauna Jemai Jackson, Kario Marcel, Austin Scott, Amirah Vann and Lana Young joined the cast of the film.[2]

Principal photography began on May 5, 2021, and concluded on June 2. Filming took place in Savannah, Georgia, and at Tyler Perry Studios in Atlanta.[9][10][2] The film's score was composed by Aaron Zigman, who scored several of Perry's previous films.[11]

Release

The film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 11, 2022, and was released on Netflix on September 23, 2022.[2][12]

Reception

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 68% of 31 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 5.9/10.[13] On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 63 out of 100 based on 12 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews."[14] It is Perry's most acclaimed film to date.

References

  1. ^ "A Jazzman's Blues". Toronto International Film Festival. Retrieved July 28, 2022.
  2. ^ a b c d Sandberg, Bryn (May 7, 2021). "Tyler Perry Fills Out Cast for Netflix Film 'A Jazzman's Blues'". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved May 7, 2021.
  3. ^ Sperling, Nicole (November 17, 2006). "Lionsgate plays Perry doubleheader". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved May 11, 2021.
  4. ^ Parham, Marti (April 7, 2008). "'Meet the Browns': Film Continues to Boost Tyler Perry Brand". Jet. p. 63. Retrieved October 25, 2008 – via Google Books.
  5. ^ "Tyler Perry Admits He's Stalking Diana Ross For His New Film A Jazz Man's Blues". Blindie.com. February 7, 2009. Archived from the original on November 18, 2009. Retrieved October 25, 2022.
  6. ^ "Tyler Perry Says He Wants Diana Ross For Film Role". Shadow and Act. February 24, 2012. Retrieved October 25, 2022.
  7. ^ Diaz, Evelyn (December 12, 2013). "Tyler Perry: "I've Given Up" on Diana Ross Casting Dream". BET. Retrieved October 25, 2022.
  8. ^ Kroll, Justin (March 23, 2021). "Tyler Perry Sets 'Jazzman's Blues' As Next Film At Netflix; Taps Joshua Boone And Solea Pfeiffer To Star". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved March 23, 2021.
  9. ^ "A Jazzman's Blues - Production Listing". Productionlist.com. March 1, 2021. Retrieved March 1, 2021.
  10. ^ "Film and TV Projects Going Into Production - A Jazzman's Blues". Variety Insight. Archived from the original on March 26, 2021. Retrieved March 26, 2021.
  11. ^ "Aaron Zigman Scoring Tyler Perry's 'A Jazzman's Blues". Film Music Reporter. March 14, 2022. Retrieved April 6, 2022.
  12. ^ Jackson, Angelique (August 23, 2022). "Netflix Debuts First Trailer for Tyler Perry's 'A Jazzman's Blues'". Variety. Retrieved August 23, 2022.
  13. ^ "A Jazzman's Blues". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved October 8, 2022.
  14. ^ "A Jazzman's Blues". Metacritic. Fandom, Inc. Retrieved September 23, 2022.
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