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You don’t have to be a jazz enthusiast to appreciate the music and the enduring influence of jazz great Miles Davis. But if you’re hoping to learn more about the life and work of the artist from the biopic Miles Ahead, you may end up feeling more frustrated and confused than enlightened.
Miles Ahead finds the legendary musician (played by director Don Cheadle) at a strange point in his career: not the beginning, not at a high point, but during the five or six years during the late ‘70s when he simply stopped playing. Though he’s recorded a session, his label hasn’t heard the recording; it’s hidden somewhere at the reclusive artist’s home. And when Rolling Stone reporter Dave (Ewan McGregor) shows up to ask Miles for an interview about his reported comeback, he sets off a wild quest for control of the priceless tape.
This musical biopic isn’t the film that you might be expecting. It isn’t the uplifting story of a talented musician fighting for fame and fortune—nor is it a spirited look at the wild life of a jazz legend. Instead, it’s part drug-fueled crime caper, part star-crossed love story—because as Miles and Dave race from office building to night club to dark alley, trying to retrieve the all-important recording, Miles finds himself reminiscing about the love of his life, Frances (Emayatzy Corinealdi), and their tumultuous romance.
Really, then, this film is more about the ideas and the tones than about the story. It skips around, showing snippets of flashbacks and making clever transitions back and forth from various moments in time. It’s as free and flowing and ever-changing as Davis’s musical style. And though it may not place much of its focus on the artist’s performances or recordings, the style is pure jazz.
Of course, that free-flowing style doesn’t exactly make for a solid—or even especially satisfying—film. It’s strange and hazy and disconnected, offering viewers more an idea of the character than a clear picture. Cheadle takes the character on an unexpected adventure, giving a noteworthy performance in the process. But it often feels more like a caper involving Miles Davis than a true Miles Davis story.
Miles Ahead is certainly a creative film—an exploration of a strange period in the life of a music legend. If you’d like to learn about Davis’s history and influences, you’ll need to look elsewhere. But if you’re interested in a film that captures his spirit, it’s worth watching.
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