THE UNITED STATES VS. BILLIE HOLIDAY

Review: Follows Billie Holiday, one of the greatest jazz musicians of all time, as she is targeted by the Federal Department of Narcotics with an undercover sting operation which was led by black Federal Agent Jimmy Fletcher, whom she had a tumultuous affair with. This story uncovers her struggles with addiction, fame and heart-breaking love.
Director: Lee Daniels
Actors: Andra Day, Trevante Rhodes, Garrett Hedlund, Leslie Jordan, Miss Lawrence, Natasha Lyonne, Dusan Dukic, Erik LaRay Harvey, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Kate MacLellan, Kwasi Songui, Adriane Lenox, Letitia Brookes and Tyler James Williams,
Year: 2021
Genre: Biography, Drama, History and Music
Conclusion: 3/5
This film is nothing like I imagined it to be. I found it to be a bit of an odd film. I had the same feeling watching this as I did when I watched The Butler (2013) but I can’t quite describe the feeling I have. I think it would have worked better as a little mini-TV series. Lee Daniels also directed The Butler. I thought that Andra Day’s performance was quite incredible. I thought that her singing was quite simply outstanding. I very much enjoyed the production design that was used in this film. The costume design was very well thought out and had taken great care and detail. This film was shot in only 44 days from October 2019 to December 2019. At the Golden Globe Awards in 2021 this won one award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama (Andra Day).