Ma Rainey's Black Bottom follows the titular blues singer (portrayed by Viola Davis) as she gathers with her band during a recording session in 1927 Chicago. But while Ma Rainey was very much a real blues trailblazer with an unforgettable persona, the film isn't a true story. The Netflix film is based on a play of the same title by August Wilson, who also penned Fences (also starring Davis). Regardless, it's a gift to see Davis pay homage to a musical legend and to witness Chadwick Boseman, who plays a trumpeter in her band, put everything into his last performance.
Watch Ma Rainey's Black Bottom on Netflix now.