Robin Roberts Presents: Mahalia

When I purchased this movie, I doubted it had the budget to capture the talent of Mahalia Jackson. Her voice is one of a kind. However, I was surprised to find Danielle Brooks has a fantastic voice! Nobody can replicate Mahalia, but that's true of all the greatest singers. Brooks is a great singer in her own right and captured just enough of Mahalia to really make the movie work. The film features a great singer and also captured the dynamic personal life of Mahalia.

Danielle did an awesome job playing Mahalia. She really brought Mahalia alive and well in 2021. I had heard that Danielle could sing, but that girl can saaannnggg. She's also a really talented actress. I really enjoyed all the actors (but not the portrayal of Martin too much), not really sure why he didn't quite fit me. But nevertheless, it got a 10/10 from me. Was it a totally accurate story w/o a little embellishment, absolutely not, but pretty accurate and on point,

I bought this and it took me a few days before I watched it. I cried, I laughed and loved the performance of a beautiful voice I remember from the past and one for 2021 in Danielle. I will watch it again and again.

A film critic could perhaps pick holes in this as a movie.. but as a musical it was sublime. It brought tears to my eyes.

I have not heard much of Mahalia Jackson's music but the singing in this film would make your hair stand on end Alright, I am a sucker for stomping blues/gospel music and this delivers it in abundance I am still winding down.. Someone above said it was not gritty... well from what I have read her life was not gritty, although she suffered a deal of sorrow her faith kept strong.

Loved this movie, a great biopic. Danielle Brooks was awesome. Think I spotted another "goof" though - when the young Mahalia was singing as a young girl at her house in 1926 her Aunt came in and Mahalia took the needle off the record she was singing along too. It showed a modern piece of vinyl on the record player which looked very much like a multi track LP which I'm pretty sure weren't made until 1948 by Columbia. Later on Mahalia said that as a young girl she used to sing along to Victrola records which were 78rpm Bakelite discs. Can't take anything away from the spirit of the movie though.