Viewers may come to this biography of James Brown because it’s produced by Mick Jagger – but whatever brings them here, they’ll be happy they came. Directed by Alex Gibney, this documentary is so overflowing with vintage stills and clips, and fresh interviews and great stories, that – just like Brown himself – it starts in high gear, and never flags. And some of the stories are fascinating and fresh, at least to me. Like when Little Richard got a better contract and quit a concert tour, and Brown was hired to replace him – pretending to
be Little Richard, because, in those pre-TV years, who knew? Jagger doesn’t show up until about 20 minutes in – and by then, the case for Brown already has been made, indelibly. You know the song "Moves Like Jagger"? Well, guess who
Jagger moves like, and patterned himself after? For a full review, see
Jonathan Storm's Eye of the Storm.