Miles Ahead
This Miles Davis biopic is ambitious, affectionate and imaginative, if not always completely successful.
Overview
"If you're going to tell a story, come with some attitude, man," says Miles Davis (Don Cheadle) during a recorded interview with journalist Dave Brill (Ewan McGregor). It's a statement that provides a clear picture of the way Davis looks at the world, as well as the distinctive perspective that floats through his music. Uttered at the beginning of biopic Miles Ahead, it's also a statement of Cheadle's intentions for the film. The actor doesn't just star as the jazz legend, but also directs, co-writes, produces and provides additional compositions too. In doing so, he attempts to make a feature that captures the spirit, rather than the exact details, of Davis' remarkable story.
His is a movie of mood and essence, made-up of events that spring from Davis' energy, rather than a traditional fact-driven biography. It's a character study of a real-life figure that tries to convey just what made him tick by intertwining glimpses of two career-defining periods. In fact, another line of dialogue sums up the tale the movie doesn't tell. "I was born. Moved to New York. Met some cats, made some music, did some dope, made some more music. And then you came to my door," Davis quips to Brill when they first meet at the end of the 1970s.
Brill shows up claiming to be chasing a big comeback story for Rolling Stone magazine, with Davis' five-year hiatus not just disappointing his fans, but angering his record label. Stubborn and boasting plenty of swagger, Davis has his reasons: drug addiction, a desire to keep a tape of his latest playing session away from a particular producer (Michael Stuhlbarg), and the heartbreak of a failed marriage to his first wife, dancer Frances Taylor (Emayatzy Corinealdi).
Cue a portrait of Davis' tumultuous escapades with Brill, in an odd-couple pairing laced with chases, arguments, parties and shootouts, plus flashbacks to both happier and darker times. In combining the two, Cheadle fashions his film in the same manner as Davis' tunes, complete with poetic interludes and tangents, instances of symmetry and mirroring, and a freewheeling pace and style. And yet, as determined as he is to ensure Miles Ahead looks and feels just right, the feature almost comes to resemble a caricature of a jazz movie. Sometimes it's effortlessly engaging as it flits from one incident to another. At other times, it's a little too erratic and indulgent.
Instead, it's actually the actor-turned-director's performance that achieves his true aim. From the changes in his stance to the rasping emotion in his voice, Cheadle's interpretation of Davis is as compelling a presence as the artist's music. He's at his best when he's bouncing off of one of his co-stars, including Short Term 12's Keith Stanfield as an up-and-coming trumpeter clearly meant to represent Davis' youth. And though McGregor seems to be blending his performances in Velvet Goldmine and The Ghost Writer, the duo's shared dynamic still ranks among the film's biggest strengths.
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