Respect (2021) * *

 

Directed by:  Liesl Tommy

Starring:  Jennifer Hudson, Marlon Wayans, Forest Whitaker, Marc Maron, Skye Dakota Turner, Audra McDonald, Mary J. Blige, Hailey Kilgore, Tituss Burgess, Tate Donovan

It may be impossible to make a biopic about Aretha Franklin which can wholly encompass her impact on music and culture.   Respect tries, but sputters when it should be lifting off.    Even at two hours, twenty minutes of running time, Respect only takes us to Ms. Franklin's 1972 recording of Amazing Grace, which is her biggest selling album to date.    Jennifer Hudson sings spirited versions of Franklin's songs and most of the movie's best parts are courtesy of the Hudson performance.

Franklin even from a young age had quite a voice.   So much so that her father Rev. C.L. Franklin (Whitaker) wakes her up in the middle of the night to sing for his friends at his parties.   The reverend is a believer in "Do as I say, not as I do," and his hypocrisy is evident throughout the movie, causing a strain on Aretha's relationship with him.   Aretha is also sexually abused by a family friend resulting in teen pregnancy which the movie mentions but doesn't revisit or provide any closure.   The children produced from the unholy act are also seen once but not dealt with in any serious way.

Franklin also endures an abusive marriage to Ted White (Wayans), who dresses the part of an important person without actually being one.   Aretha's father dislikes Ted from the jump, and in this instance, the reverend was correct in his assessment.    Aretha then develops a drinking and drug problem because what is a biopic of a famous entertainer without the obligatory scenes of drug abuse, followed by an intervention, and then the rebound?   I'm sure all of this happened to Aretha Franklin, but Respect feels like a generic biopic in its story arc and structure.   It sees much, but not deeply or effectively enough to make Respect special.