The United States vs. Billie Holiday

Grade: C-

I have an uncle who is in the habit of reading 4 or 5 books at the same time. He says you will always find parallels, no matter what all you happen to be reading. The same is true if it’s Oscar season, and you’re watching multiple movies over a short period of time. I saw three Best Picture nominees in a row that had a main character living in a van or trailer.

We come now to The United States vs. Billie Holiday, available to waste your time with on Hulu. Between this and Hillbilly Elegy, I’ve seen my share of heroin usage this week. Director Lee Daniels has constructed a 2 hour and 10 minute biopic which is as tedious and forgettable as you can expect to see. It is a bleak journey, and one-note, except for the many lovely ones sung by Best Actress nominee Andra Day as Billie Holiday. I can see how Holiday’s soulful voice with the cute light rasp could have inspired singers like Adele and so many others. In The United States vs. Billie Holiday, we are laboriously walked through all the biopicky conventions, with nothing to distinguish it or elevate it to anything worthwhile. Imagine if Pleasantville had remained black-and-white. It’s a shame, because Andra Day is quite good. I hope she will have opportunities to shine in movies much better than this one.

Grade: C-