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The United States vs Billie Holiday

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The United States vs Billie Holiday

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• Documentary
• Drama

• 2021
• Lee Daniels
• 126 mins
• 15

Summary

The acclaimed singer is targeted by the Federal Department of Narcotics with an undercover sting operation led by Federal Agent Jimmy Fletcher, with who she had a tumultuous affair. Director Lee Daniels' biopic based on the novel by Johann Hari, starring Andra Day, Trevante Rhodes and Natasha Lyonne

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IMDB

Review

A star rating of 3 out of 5.

Emma Simmonds

Placing her incendiary song Strange Fruit at the heart of the narrative, director Lee Daniels (Precious) brings the story of the great Billie Holiday to the screen. In her first major film role, singer Andra Day convincingly captures Holiday's idiosyncratic vocal style, colourful personality and drug-addled fall from grace. She's ably supported by Moonlight's Trevante Rhodes as Jimmy Fletcher, a Black FBI agent tasked with taking Holiday down by a hate-fuelled Harry Anslinger (Garrett Hedlund). Despite his honourable intentions and the powerful subject matter, Daniels's approach can feel frustratingly skittish, while the portrayal of Holiday's persecution is a little heavy-handed and the dialogue lacks subtlety. Yet the film is often stunning to behold, with sumptuous cinematography and gorgeous production and costume design bringing a tumultuous era dynamically to life, and an Oscar-nominated Day cuts through the erratic execution with a performance that packs an almighty punch.

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6.3/10

How to watch

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Streaming

• NOW
• Sky Store

Credits

Cast

rolenameBillie HolidayAndra DayJimmy FletcherTrevante RhodesTallulah BankheadNatasha LyonneHarry AnslingerGarrett HedlundLouis McKayRob MorganLester YoungTyler James Williams

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Crew

rolenameDirectorLee Daniels

Details

Released on

2021-02-27

Languages

English | German | Italian

Formats

Colour

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