Watch One Night in Miami

One Night in Miami is a powerful drama film directed by Regina King, based on a fictionalized account of a historic night in the lives of four Black American icons; Cassius Clay (later known as Muhammad Ali), Malcolm X, Jim Brown, and Sam Cooke. Set in the 1960s, the film opens with Cassius Clay (Eli Goree) defeating Sonny Liston to become the heavyweight champion of the world. After the fight, he spends a night with his friends at the Hampton House Motel in Miami to celebrate. The night quickly turns into a profound dialogue about their personal lives and experiences as black men.

Kingsley Ben-Adir delivers an outstanding performance as Malcolm X, who is grappling with his own internal conflict and doubts about his spiritual and political beliefs. Eli Goree embodies Cassius Clay’s (Muhammad Ali) youthful energy and brash confidence, while Aldis Hodge plays Jim Brown, a football superstar who struggles with being a black athlete in a white-dominated profession.

Perhaps, the most significant character arc in One Night in Miami belongs to Sam Cooke, played by Leslie Odom Jr. Cook is a famous singer who has achieved a great deal of success by pandering to white audiences but is torn between his commercial success and his role in empowering the black community through his art.

The film revolves around the intellectual conversations between these men, and even though a majority of the plot is based on them talking, Regina King manages to keep the audience engaged by showcasing the tense dynamics that exist in the group. The debates touch on themes of race, religion, political activism, celebrity, and the role each one of them plays in uplifting the Black community.

What sets this movie apart from other mainstream dramas is how it manages to avoid cliches and present a realistic portrayal of its characters. While the film does address the racism that these men face, it never lets it overshadow their objectives or reduce them to mere victims. This movie instead shows that being a black icon is more about empowering the community and battling internal struggles.

Cinematographer Tami Reiker excellently creates an intimate setting for the viewer, emulating the sense of being a fly on the wall. Kingsley Ben-Adir and Leslie Odom Jr. performs their songs to engage the audience, and they perfectly capture the excitement of being in the presence of these legends.

One Night in Miami is a testament to the power of dialogue and how impactful it can be in creating social change. By presenting these conversations between icons of the black community, Regina King challenges us to contemplate on our own experience as people of colour and the role that we need to play in uplifting our community. The movie leaves a lasting impression and raises pertinent questions about the contemporary black experience, making it a must-watch film.

One Night in Miami is a 2020 drama with a runtime of 1 hour and 50 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 7.1 and a MetaScore of 83.