Ruby's Bucket of Blood

This movie appeared, at first, to be something that would turn out to be more interesting than it was. Taking place in the '50's in Louisiana, it sold out far too frequently to the expectations today's audience. The music was not authentic for its time, and there was way too much of it. The dialog was stilted---everyone speaking acting-school English, and the efforts by some actors to mix English with Cajun-French was very self-conscious. There was just no natural flow to the language. A few of the actors were very well-cast and captured the spirit of the thing, and the sets and scenery were pretty good. Having lived in Louisiana in the 50's, I actually relived the scent of the place a few times, but such reveries were infrequent. I didn't stay around for the whole thing, so the plot may have redeemed something by the end, but as I tuned out to watch a higher priority on cable), "Ruby" was just revealing itself as another of those films about homosexuality, and I have no idea how far that went. If you're an old car buff, though, there were some nice DeSotos and Hudsons and Packards. With authentic Louisiana license plates from 1956.

I love a movie like this that has no boring scenes. I think Kevin Anderson is highly underrated as an actor and I expect to see him soar soon. He struck my attention just as Russell Crowe did in "the Quick and the Dead"

As an Asian curious about the civil rights movement, I always take the opportunity to watch any movie based on that period of time. I can't judge the authenticity of the movie but it is well played, even if they are flaws. The story telling wasn't strong enough but Angela Bassett made up for it with her powerful acting. Stories of racial injustice always tear at my heart so it was refreshing to watch a movie about the segregated American South without the usual racial hate drama. There are subtle scenes of racial discrimination but it wasn't enough to make me want to bash some people up. The homosexuality subject was very thinly included in the sub plot and it was interesting to see how such a taboo subject was handled by the blacks in that era of time as even the whites had trouble with homosexuality. There wasn't even any intimate scenes between the two homosexual characters, just a little touch here and there. It was really cool to see the cars of that era - I much like them than the present ones; they had character. It was just a simple movie about a black woman trying to run her bar and maintain a marriage with a man who didn't love her anymore and keep her wilful daughter out of trouble.

As with "O Brother, Where Art Thou," the music in this film is a major reason to watch it--if you like The Blues, that is. In fact, the first half of the film is mostly filled with terrific performances of blues music (with dashes of jazz and cajun.) In 1961, in a Louisiana backwater, Billy Dupree, a white singer (played by Broadway's Kevin Anderson) lands a gig at Ruby's joint, whose clientele is black, when she suddenly needs a replacement act. Angela Bassett is Ruby, one tough cookie, who inexplicably doesn't realize her own sexy beauty. Her philandering fool of a husband walks out on her early on. Of course, Billy proves himself as a blues belter and romance blooms between the two singers, despite the interracial barrier, and despite Billy also being married--to a woman with mental problems. There are sub-plots, one involving Ruby's teen-aged daughter, and one about two of the black band members who are gay. (One wants to leave for New Orleans to find fame while the other is content where he is.) But this is mainly a love story. Despite a somewhat predictable plot and some credibility lapses (given the severe black anti-gay prejudice today, would the two musicians be so open about their attraction 40 years ago?) this is an engrossing film--well acted and directed--that will appeal to blues fans.

I'm not a cable subscriber. This Showtime movie I rented strictly because of Angela Bassett and Executive Producer Whoopi Goldberg (One Ho Productions). Coming from Cajun roots, I was disappointed at the poor attempt at the Cajun dialogue. (If you can't do it right, leave it alone)

Angela Bassett plays a Juke Joint Owner in a small town in Louisiana. She's married to a man who has outgrown the marriage for whatever reason. The time is suppose to be the 60's. I was surprised to hear a customer asking Ruby (Angela Bassett) "Are you down with that"?? I was expecting the sexual tension that I read on the DVD cover. Instead, I felt the movie fell flat, especially towards the end. Angela delivers, as does Kevin Anderson.

Adapted from a stage play, I would have preferred to see the play.