2021 - Written by Will Berson, Shaka King, and Kenneth Lucas. Directed by Will Person
Well, this was a gut punch. Initially I was skeptical of watching this movie, as I hardly ever enjoy biopics and always seem to find myself bored and hoping it will end soon near the mid-way point.
That said, Judas and the Black Messiah suffers from none of the typical biopic issues. The pacing was fantastic, I was consistently entertained from start to finish, and the runtime felt perfect, neither too long nor too brief.
The one thing that really solidified this movie as being great was the performance by Lakeith Stanfield. It's not often that an actor really makes a movie for me but this was an exception. Stanfield’s portrayal of Bill O’Neal is layered and convincing, and the character's internal struggles are revealed as much by dialogue as they are by gestures and facial expressions. Ultimately, even if this type of movie isn't what you’re usually into I would highly recommend giving it a shot.