Mo' Better Blues

Spike Lee

Overview

Spike Lee's 1990 directing effort is a jazz film, the story of a fictional trumpeter named Bleek Gilliam (Denzel Washington). He leads a quintet at the Beneath the Underground club with a flashy saxophonist named Shadow Henderson (Wesley Snipes). Though Shadow takes a few too many solos, everything seems fine in Bleek's life. Trouble soon arises, however, and he is forced to make decisions regarding both his best friend Giant (Spike Lee), and his relationships with two women. Giant, his manager and old pal, is addicted to gambling and often gets roughed up by thugs looking for pay back. Bleek is the only member of the quintet who wants to keep him as manager. The trumpeter's woman problems concern trying to decide between two girlfriends who both love him: a schoolteacher (Joie Lee) and a singer (Cynda Williams). Spike's father Bill Lee scored the film, with contributions from Branford Marsalis, Terence Blanchard, Abbey Lincoln and Ruben Blades (who plays Giant's bookie).

Product Details

Release Date:	02/04/2020
UPC:	0738329237158
Original Release:	1990
Rating:	R
Source:	Kl Studio Classics
Region Code:	A
Time:	2:10:00
Sales rank:	3,146

Special Features

Audio Commentary by Film Critic Kameron Austin Collins; Theatrical Trailer

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Denzel Washington	Bleek Gilliam
Spike Lee	Giant
Wesley Snipes	Shadow Henderson
Joie Lee	Indigo Downes
Cynda Williams	Clarke Bentancourt
Giancarlo Esposito	Left Hand Lacey
Robin Harris	Butterbean Jones
Bill Nunn	Bottom Hammer
Dick Anthony Williams	Big Stop Gilliam
Rubén Blades	Petey
Jeff "Tain" Watts	Rhythm Jones
Nicholas Turturro	Josh Flatbush
Abbey Lincoln	Lillian Gilliam
Linda Hawkins	Jeanne
Zakee Howze	Young Bleek/Miles
Bill Lee	Father of the Bride
Branford Marsalis	Party Guest
Samuel L. Jackson	Madlock
Leonard Thomas	Rod
Charlie Murphy	Eggy
Steve White	Born Knowledge
Joe Seneca	Big Stop's Friend
Tracy Camilla Johns	Actor
John Canada Terrell	Actor
Monty Ross	Actor
Mamie Louise Anderson	Club Patron
Douglas Bourne	Jimmy the Busboy
Leon Addison Brown	Smith
Arnold Cromer	Miles, Age 5
Herbert Daughtry	Minister
Raye Dowell	Rita
Anaysha Figueroa	Shanika
Flavor Flav	Impatient Movie Patron
Angela Hall	Cora
Coati Mundi	Roberto
Robi Reed	Actor
Deon Richmond	Tyrone
Scot Anthony Robinson	Cooley
Christopher Skeffrey	Louis
Jelani Asar Snipes	Miles, Age 1
John Sobestanovich	Taxi Driver
Raymond Anthony Thomas	Joe
Sheldon Turnipseed	Benny
Carol M. Wiggins	Actor
Terrence Williams	Sam
Darryl M. Wonge	Miles at Birth
Glenn Williams	Miles, Age 3

Technical Credits

Spike Lee

Spike Lee	Director,Songwriter,Producer,Screenwriter
Matiki Anoff	Makeup
Terence Blanchard	Songwriter,Consultant/advisor
Tom Brumberger	Special Effects
Ruth E. Carter	Costumes/Costume Designer
Ornette Coleman	Songwriter
Ernest R. Dickerson	Cinematographer
Michael Max Fleming	Consultant/advisor
Ted Glass	Art Director,Set Decoration/Design
Donald Harrison	Consultant/advisor
Jon Kilik	Producer
Bill Lee	Score Composer,Songwriter,Musical Direction/Supervision
Branford Marsalis	Songwriter
Christopher "Play" Martin	Songwriter
Raynard Miner	Songwriter
John C. Newby	Camera Operator
Tom Newton	Special Effects
Sam Pollard	Editor
Robi Reed	Casting
Monty Ross	Co-producer
Wayne Shorter	Songwriter
Carl Smith	Songwriter
Pam E. Stephens	Art Director
Wynn P. Thomas	Production Designer
Jeff Ward	Stunts

Editorial Reviews

Spike Lee's film on the life of a jazz musician features some wonderful music, but in its slapdash construction and melodramatic hokiness, it does little to illuminate the nature of the profession it attempts to explore. Lee, whose father was a noted bass player, has an unquestionably vast knowledge of the jazz idiom and the kind of life that goes with it. But the conflict between a personal and professional life that can become a problem for so many musicians -- as it is for Lee's protagonist, Bleek Gilliam (Denzel Washington) -- is dealt with in only the most glib and superficial manner. A gifted trumpet player who can't decide which of his two women he cares for, he's reluctant to do the "mo better" when he feels he should be practicing, as though vital musical fluids might somehow be drained from his body. There's some amusing by-play among the musicians, and Wesley Snipes makes a strong impression as Bleek's sax player, but the film contains none of the intensely competitive, hothouse atmosphere of this musical world. The problem of the exploitation of musicians is addressed only in a repulsively anti-Semitic caricature of a pair of Jewish club owners. To top everything off, the film's ludicrous, deus ex machina ending is as bad as anything Hollywood pumps out at its worst. Still, there are some things to like, including the standup comedy of the late Robin Harris, the vibrant camera work of Ernest R. Dickerson, and Terence Blanchard's bracing score.

All Movie Guide - Michael Costello