Little Richard

As we can only expect, everything gets a little oversimplified. Little Richard's wavering between religion and rock 'n' roll was a lot longer and less resolved than we see here, his sexuality was more complex-- I should say "even" more complex-- and hey, Pat Boone was not a bad singer. He was entirely the wrong singer for Little Richard's music, and he's admitted it forthrightly more than once, but he wasn't the talentless dummy that's shown in this movie.

This is a very interesting story about the "Queen" of Rock 'n' Roll Little Richard Penniman. This movie stays true to the little I've researched. Actor turned director Robert Townsend gives us an intimate look at one of the founders of the music that changed the world. His abusive childhood to his bizarre beginnings in show business and his bowing out of an astounding career to preach the word of God. Then his energetic, but slightly noticed comeback. Thanks to Little Richard for "Lucille", "Long Tall Sally", "Tutti Fruitti" and his other hard, pulse pounding anthems. Leon is excellent in the starring role. Also of note in this biopic is Carl Lumbly, Tamala Jones, Anthony Griffith and Jonelle Kennedy. If you love Rock 'n' Roll and enjoy backing up your brain to its foundation you will enjoy LITTLE RICHARD.

The Life and Time of Little Richard, as told by Little Richard, as produced and directed by Little Richard, was about as one sided as one of his songs. This is not a biography or even a docudrama, but does have good writing, great energy and an outstanding leading actor playing Richard. All the music is by Little Richard, so it rocks a tight lipsync on every song.

The movie covers his early childhood, carrys thru the formative years in music, the wild success and Richard's throwing it all away to praise the Lord. Its all tied together well and the obvious comeback in 1962 manages to stay away from the idea that Little Richard discovered the Beatles, whom opened for him.

My main objection is that his outrageous, counter cultural behavior is underplayed and you get no feel for how his audience experienced him at that time. Some of his energy, which he still has, does not come across full force. He seemed tame, compared to what I remember of him at the time.

The best scenes are Richard getting jilted by Lucille and writing a song about it and the strip to bikini shorts while performing, to make the point about not having a decent place to change.

If they had gotten into the "Bronze Liberace" as Richard use to refer to himself in interviews, then there's a story. Trust me I just saw him perform a couple of months ago and he still flirts with the pretty white boys, giving the one particularly good dancer in the audience, his headband. Nearly 68 and still going strong I recommend this movie and any concert or T.V. appearance you can find. Little Richard is always on

This portrayal of Richard Penniman as a skirt-chasing dandy is completely the opposite of what I've seen of Little Richard all these years. Also, having friends in show biz who worked with and knew him well, this is a movie about somebody else! The only "hints" we get of his homosexuality are the knowing glances between Richard and his young singing mentor, who told him he needed to record. Yes, his behavior ranges from "regular guy" to "somewhat effeminate," but the character is inconsistent.

Good lip-syncing by Leon and nice acting from Jenifer Lewis, as his supportive mother. Other performances were stereotypical, but the story does give us a clear picture of how black stars were cheated by low-down record shysters and literally robbed by white artists like Pat Boone, Georgia Gibbs and Gale Storm.

It is fitting on a musical Sunday to get your heart a pumping, and no one can do that better than Little Richard. The man could sing the drawers off the ladies and defined rock and roll.

Look to Leon to provide a definitive characterization, as he has done so with David Ruffin in The Temptations and Jackie Wilson in Mr. Rock 'n' Roll: The Alan Freed Story.

This was a fascinating biopic as we saw Little Richard struggle with his father, with his church and with himself over just who he was. He won the battle and there is no one else that has his voice or his style.