Ma Rainey's Black Bottom
2020 · 93 min · Director: George C. Wolfe, George C. Wolfe
Show plot summary (may contain spoilers)
Tensions and temperatures rise over the course of an afternoon recording session in 1920s Chicago as a band of musicians await trailblazing performer, the legendary "Mother of the Blues," Ma Rainey (Academy Award® winner Viola Davis). Late to the session, the fearless, fiery Ma engages in a battle of wills with her white manager and producer over control of her music. As the band waits in the studio's claustrophobic rehearsal room, ambitious trumpeter Levee (Chadwick Boseman) - who has an eye for Ma's girlfriend and is determined to stake his own claim on the music industry - spurs his fellow musicians into an eruption of stories revealing truths that will forever change the course of their lives. Adapted from two-time Pulitzer Prize winner August Wilson's play, MA RAINEY'S BLACK BOTTOM celebrates the transformative power of the blues and the artists who refuse to let society's prejudices dictate their worth. Directed by George C. Wolfe and adapted for the screen by Ruben Santiago-Hudson, the film is produced by Fences Oscar® nominees Denzel Washington and Todd Black. Colman Domingo, Glynn Turman, Michael Potts, Taylour Paige and Dusan Brown co-star alongside Grammy® winner Branford Marsalis' score.
Emotional fingerprint
Ma Rainey's Black Bottom (2020) — Movie. Top emotional signals: Awe 30%, Empathy 25%, Sadness 20%. Source: AI estimate. Shares describe emotional signal, not percentages of people. Your experience may differ. How we measure
- Awe30%
- Empathy25%
- Sadness20%
- Humor15%
- Satisfaction10%
AI estimate · no viewer votes yet
How we measure
AI estimate
Share of emotional signal, not the percentage of people or a probability of enjoyment.
Each viewer contributes one response, split equally across their selected emotions. When available, an automated estimate supplies a prior that is blended with those responses. Counts include distinct viewers, not automated estimates or archived anonymous votes. Fewer than 3 viewers is an early estimate; more responses do not guarantee certainty.
Why it feels this way
The strongest emotional signals are Awe, Empathy, Sadness. Genres: Drama, Music. AI estimate.
Is it worth watching?
Consider this title if you are looking for Awe, Empathy and Sadness. Its IMDb rating of 6.9/10 suggests a generally positive audience reception. For these leading emotions, its Feel Score is 70/100.
How did it make you feel?
Votes are saved to the fingerprint once you’re signed in.
Pick up to three · 0/3
Emotional journey
- Tension
- Sadness
- Disturbing
Not enough subtitle evidence
No dominant emotion
Dominant emotion: Joy
Dominant emotion: Humor
Dominant emotion: Tension
Dominant emotion: Sadness
Dominant emotion: Disturbing
Dominant emotion
| % | Approximate minute | Dominant emotion | Overall intensity | Tension | Sadness | Disturbing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.5 % | ≈ 2′ | Joy | 43 % | 10 % | 15 % | 1 % |
| 7.5 % | ≈ 7′ | Humor | 37 % | 19 % | 8 % | 2 % |
| 12.5 % | ≈ 12′ | Humor | 35 % | 27 % | 5 % | 3 % |
| 17.5 % | ≈ 16′ | Humor | 37 % | 30 % | 7 % | 6 % |
| 22.5 % | ≈ 21′ | Tension | 38 % | 32 % | 6 % | 11 % |
| 27.5 % | ≈ 26′ | Humor | 39 % | 32 % | 6 % | 12 % |
| 32.5 % | ≈ 30′ | Tension | 44 % | 38 % | 12 % | 17 % |
| 37.5 % | ≈ 35′ | Tension | 60 % | 50 % | 35 % | 40 % |
| 42.5 % | ≈ 40′ | Sadness | 70 % | 55 % | 54 % | 54 % |
| 47.5 % | ≈ 44′ | Tension | 56 % | 46 % | 37 % | 31 % |
| 52.5 % | ≈ 49′ | Tension | 44 % | 34 % | 17 % | 13 % |
| 57.5 % | ≈ 53′ | Joy | 45 % | 29 % | 15 % | 11 % |
| 62.5 % | ≈ 58′ | Joy | 49 % | 38 % | 14 % | 9 % |
| 67.5 % | ≈ 63′ | Tension | 59 % | 54 % | 23 % | 25 % |
| 72.5 % | ≈ 67′ | Tension | 73 % | 68 % | 41 % | 53 % |
| 77.5 % | ≈ 72′ | Tension | 70 % | 65 % | 40 % | 54 % |
| 82.5 % | ≈ 77′ | Tension | 64 % | 60 % | 37 % | 47 % |
| 87.5 % | ≈ 81′ | Disturbing | 75 % | 65 % | 53 % | 60 % |
| 92.5 % | ≈ 86′ | Sadness | 79 % | 59 % | 65 % | 61 % |
| 97.5 % | ≈ 91′ | Not enough subtitle evidence | Not enough subtitle evidence | Not enough subtitle evidence | Not enough subtitle evidence | Not enough subtitle evidence |
Riches to rags
Rags to riches: The emotional tone rises from negative to positive.
Riches to rags: The emotional tone falls from positive to negative.
Man in a hole: The tone falls, then recovers.
Icarus: The tone rises, then falls.
Cinderella: The tone rises, falls, then rises again.
Oedipus: The tone falls, rises, then falls again.
AI reading of the film’s English subtitles (dialogue and sound cues) — not viewer votes. How we measure ↗
Kadri — your film companion
AIAsk anything about Ma Rainey's Black Bottom. From the film’s own dialogue and FeelDB data, at your spoiler level.
Afterward Reveal viewer responses · may contain spoilers
Viewer responses about feelings after the title ended, separate from feelings while watching. No AI estimates.
0 responses so far
Feeling details appear after at least 3 viewers respond, to protect privacy.
Cast
Sylvester
Band Singer
Ma Rainey's Dancer
Ma Rainey's Dancer
Ma Rainey's Dancer
Ma Rainey's Dancer
Ma Rainey's Dancer
Ma Rainey's Dancer
Ma Rainey's Dancer
Ma Rainey's Dancer
Laborer (uncredited)
Details
- Directed by
- George C. Wolfe, George C. Wolfe
- Written by
- Ruben Santiago-Hudson, August Wilson, Ruben Santiago-Hudson
- Type
- Movies
- Released
- 2020
- Runtime
- 93 min
- Country
- United States
- Ratings
- Feels mostly
- Awe
- Data updated
Where to watch
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