A Jazzman's Blues
| A Jazzman's Blues | |
|---|---|
 Promotional release poster | |
| Directed by | Tyler Perry |
| Written by | Tyler Perry |
| Produced by | Tyler Perry |
| Starring |
|
| Cinematography | Brett Pawlak |
| Edited by | Maysie Hoy |
| Music by | Aaron Zigman |
Production company | |
| Distributed by | Netflix |
Release dates |
|
Running time | 127 minutes[1] |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
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
A tale of forbidden love and family drama unravels 40 years of secrets and lies in the deep south. Two teens, Bayou and Leanne fall in love but are separated due to the disapproval of Leanne's family. Years later, they meet again but find that their circumstances have changed, Leanne married to a sheriff's brother and passing as white, and Bayou helping his mother run a successful juke joint.
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 his brother, Willie Earl, and brother'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 and when he hears she's given birth to a baby, he plans a one-night return to his mother'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 the sheriff that Bayou is back in town. No sooner has Bayou reunited with Leanne and their baby, than a mob shows up to find and lynch Bayou.
In 1987, Bayou's now elderly mother, Hattie May, goes to seek justice after forty years, handing Bayou's extensive letters to his unwitting son. Reading them through, he realizes that his mother, Leanne, has been keeping his lineage a secret for all of these years. He is left to reckon with the truth of his birth.
Cast
- Joshua Boone as Bayou
- Amirah Vann as Hattie Mae
- Solea Pfeiffer as 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
On March 23, 2021, it was announced that Tyler Perry would direct the film A Jazzman's Blues for Netflix, with Joshua Boone and Solea Pfeiffer on board to star.[2] 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.[3]
Perry wrote the screenplay, his first, in 1995.[3] Lionsgate had acquired the rights to the film in November 2006, with plans to begin production the following summer.[4]
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.[5][6][3] The film's score was composed by Aaron Zigman, who scored several of Perry's previous films.[7]
Release
The film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 11, 2022, and was released on Netflix on September 23, 2022.[3][8]
Reception
On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 70% of 30 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 5.9/10.[9] On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 65 out of 100 based on 11 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews."[10]
References
- ^ "A Jazzman's Blues". Toronto International Film Festival. Retrieved July 28, 2022.
- ^ 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.
- ^ 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.
- ^ Sperling, Nicole (November 17, 2006). "Lionsgate plays Perry doubleheader". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved May 11, 2021.
- ^ "A Jazzman's Blues - Production Listing". Productionlist.com. March 1, 2021. Retrieved March 1, 2021.
- ^ "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.
- ^ "Aaron Zigman Scoring Tyler Perry's 'A Jazzman's Blues". Film Music Reporter. March 14, 2022. Retrieved April 6, 2022.
- ^ Jackson, Angelique (August 23, 2022). "Netflix Debuts First Trailer for Tyler Perry's 'A Jazzman's Blues'". Variety. Retrieved August 23, 2022.
- ^ "A Jazzman's Blues". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved September 28, 2022.
- ^ "A Jazzman's Blues". Metacritic. Fandom, Inc. Retrieved September 23, 2022.
