Bolden

This is not a Buddy Bolden biography because too little is known about him. This film tells of the legend of Bolden and is filmed like one big nightmare/beautiful dream, sequence. Even though I'm not a big jazz fan, the music was fabulous and I couldn't get enough. Excellent acting on the part of Gary Carr in particular, and the entire cast in general. It also makes you wonder about all the important events, good or bad, that went unrecorded in history. This movie is well worth your time as long as you know what to expect.

I want to start by stating that the music by Wynton Marsalis is really well researched and played. The costumes were also very well crafted, and true to the period. The acting was suitable, even though the actors said next to nothing.

In one of the opening scenes, the audience sees Buddy get thrown out of a hot air balloon, and parachute to the ground while playing his cornet to a cheering audience. I thought, wow this is going to be a creative and fun take on his life. Yeah, I was wrong. That was the best thing in the whole movie.

As far as the story, it goes in a couple of different directions. Time jumps around from Buddy's life as a child, as a budding talent, and his final years in a turn of the century institution. The story is shown in Buddy Bolden's disordered flashbacks of his life.

Buddy Bolden's character is an enigma, and the supporting characters are underdeveloped. It's like shaking your keys at a baby to keep them from crying. The writer was hoping the audience is so distracted by all the nudity and violence, they won't care that there isn't a story

There were lots of interesting settings, but nothing happens. Any detail about Bolden's relationships with his many partners are just lust filled scenes of lust. I thought for a second that this thing should be on skin-a-max, probably will be.

The movie was a long time in the making, a total of eleven years. Multiple reshoots, and at one point got an entirely new cast.

All and all, they spent a lot of money on a dud.

Taken from the perspective of Bolden's asylum residency and the reflections of his life, success, frustration and failure, I found the movie at times restless, but overall very interesting. The period sets, costuming, and social tension make the movie work, as the shards of his life and his ambition dovetail into his ultimate failure and loss. In reality, little is known of his music or the facts of his life, but his influence was profound and shaped jazz (jass) music. To do Bolden justice I would be happy to see a proper documentary, but if this movie keeps his accomplishments in our culture's mind then it was a good endeavor. Now go read his Wikipedia page, and listen to some early King Oliver or Louis Armstrong records!

The story could have been told more clearly. I understand that they were trying to mirror the flashbacks of an insane genius, but it would have worked just fine if the story had a little more order and clarity. I honestly figured from the trailer that the storytelling might have been off, but I was so drawn in by the music and the overall look of the movie that I still just had to see it. Despite some major drawbacks in plot, I do not regret watching it at all. The music! That's what I came for. The actor playing Bolden wasn't half bad to look at either. The actor playing his manager (who also had a significant role on Boardwalk Empire) has a look that seems to fit that time period so well. He is fun to watch on screen. Not much to the plot, but the look and sound (the sound!!!) of this film definitely worth the watch. If you like jazz or if you don't, watch it for the music. Now that I've finished I can do some of my own research into Buddy Bolden who seems like a fascinating enigma.

"Bolden" will transcend you into a hallucinogenic state and is an interesting approach to the conventional biopic.

In this drama based on a true story, although much of his life remains a mystery, Buddy Bolden becomes the first cornet king of New Orleans.

Overall, "Bolden" isn't for everyone. The film features solid performances from its cast, an excellent score by Wynton Marsalis, but the story can become confusing to viewers. I understand that much of Bolden's life is almost of myth, which is why writer/director Dan Pritzker took the approach he did. A vision of a life that will be underrated, but if you enjoy jazz music and a fresh take on the biopic drama, check out "Bolden".

Go see it or wait to see it at home.