Cadillac Records chronicles the rise of Leonard Chess' (Adrien Brody) Chess Records and its recording artists including Muddy Waters (Jeffrey Wright), Little Walter (Columbus Short), Chuck Berry (Mos Def), Willie Dixon (Cedric The Entertainer) and the great Etta James (Beyonce Knowles). In this tale of sex, violence, race and rock and roll in Chicago of the 1950s and 60s, the film follows the exciting but turbulent lives of some of America's greatest musical legends.
Darnell Martin
Andrew Lack
Sofia Sondervan
Adrien Brody, Jeffrey Wright, Beyonce Knowles, Cedric the Entertainer, Mos Def
© 2008 Sony Music Entertainment. All Rights Reserved.
Critics Consensus: What Cadillac Records may lack in originality, it more than makes up for in strong performances and soul-stirring music.
Stephen Garrett
Perhaps there were insurmountable legal restrictions. But the movie still serves as a dandy primer...
Anyone who likes pop music or wonders how bands like the Rolling Stones got rolling will enjoy the...
Trevor Johnston
In story terms, its cavalcade of melodrama and conflict isn't always persuasive, but writer-direct...
Ben Lyons
I think music fans will enjoy this.
There is not one authentic moment of human discourse in the whole movie.
Kelly Vance
It turns out to be grittier and more lowdown than that Ray Charles bio.
Hollywood.com
Pete Hammond
BET.com
Clay Cane
Cadillac Records is not a terrible movie but in the chain of rags to riches films (Dreamgirls, Ray...
Terrific performances make mature musical biopic memorable.
Parents need to know that this biopic about several blues musicians co-stars teen favorite Beyonce Knowles but is much grittier than her thematically similar Dreamgirls. Although Adrien Brody and Jeffrey Wright are the top-billed actors, Beyonce's role has been played up to attract younger audiences. Like most musician biopics, the drama portrays performers dealing with sex, drugs, violence, and fame. Strong language is frequent (primarily the "mother" of all swear words), and there are many scenes of musicians sleeping with eager groupies. Almost everyone has a drinking problem, and two characters are drug users -- one has a disturbing overdose scene. Consumerism is limited to the titular Cadillacs, which are a pivotal aspect of the story.
Genre:Drama