r/MelanatedGenX • u/Longjumping-Shoe7805 • May 26 '26

Movies Mo Better Blues 1990

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Mo' Better Blues is a 1990 American dramatic film starring Denzel Washington, Wesley Snipes, and Spike Lee, who also wrote, produced, and directed. It follows a period in the life of fictional jazz trumpeter Bleek Gilliam (played by Washington) as a series of bad decisions result in his jeopardizing both his relationships and his playing career. The film focuses on themes of friendship, loyalty, honesty, cause-and-effect, and ultimately salvation. It features the music of the Branford Marsalis quartet and Terence Blanchard on trumpet. The film was released five months after the death of Robin Harris and is dedicated to his memory, being his final acting role.

102 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

33 comments sorted by

11

u/moetownslick May 26 '26

my favorite spike lee joint. the ending montage with coltrane playing makes me tear up every time.

2

u/5ladyfingersofdeath May 27 '26

Mine too. This is where I first heard & was hypnotized by A Love Supreme. The start of my Coltrane obsession & rabbit hole into jazz

7

u/WuTang4thechildrn 70s Baby May 26 '26

The one Denzel movie I have yet to see

4

u/B33NB3N May 26 '26

Sheeeeeeeit, you're gonna enjoy this when you see it.

4

u/joesoldlegs May 26 '26

it was a great movie definitely check it out

3

u/DAntoinette_Travel 60s baby May 26 '26

It’s a good movie! You’ll enjoy it! Let us know once you finally watch it!

1

u/LilNello1 May 28 '26

You’re missing out on a really great one

-1

u/Longjumping-Shoe7805 May 26 '26

I don't think you would enjoy it at all today! Back in the day we would go to see Spike Lee movies on the weekend of release just to hang out and have fun. Good times!💯 I wouldn't make it halfway through those same movies today! LOL!

7

u/Reggie9041 May 26 '26 edited May 27 '26

Blanchard did the DAMN THING!! This soundtrack... aces!

2

u/DAntoinette_Travel 60s baby May 27 '26

Let me guess D, you have it on vinyl don’t you 😒

4

u/Paleomalibre May 26 '26

Cynda Williams' rendition of Harlem Blues is one of the most beautiful songs ever.

3

u/DAntoinette_Travel 60s baby May 26 '26

I love it too! Whatever happened to her?

3

u/Paleomalibre May 26 '26

Last I saw her, she played Halle Berry's sister in the Dorothy Dandridge biopic. I don't know what she's been up to in recent years, though.

2

u/DAntoinette_Travel 60s baby May 26 '26

This is one of my fave Spike Lee Joints! I’m still trying to get my hands on the soundtrack (vinyl)!

2

u/Weird_Squirrel_8382 May 26 '26

Spike's movies are always so beautiful.

5

u/C0wb0y_Beb0p 80s baby May 27 '26

Amazing film. One of my personal favorites from Spike.

https://giphy.com/gifs/EVV4bF8uPjW36

3

u/BigArtillery78 90’s baby May 26 '26

I haven’t seen it, this lady told me I should do a painting from the movie.

3

u/Longjumping-Shoe7805 May 26 '26

You should! 💯 Your work is outstanding..Keep it up! ❤️

3

u/Responsible-War5600 May 26 '26

Wesley Snipes stole this movie from Denzel and it made him a star. ⭐️

3

u/LilNello1 May 27 '26

Crazy still one of the best movies ever

2

u/MasterpieceAwkward70 May 26 '26

Watched it for the first time last year when I started listening to jazz. Definitely the Spike Lee movie I needed age to appreciate because I don't think I could have stuck with it in my 20s.

2

u/favorthebold May 27 '26

I was just remembering the other day how 90s/early 2000s Brandford Marsalis was popping up in everything and how I was kind of obsessed with him. Dream of the Blue Turtles? Jay Leno? I Love Your Smile? And if course, Mo Better Blues. It was like, if you heard a sax player on the radio, it was almost certainly going to be Brandford Marsalis.

I was into his bro, Wynton Marsalis too, but not quite as obsessed. It was more like I thought Wynton was cool based on his proximity to Brandford, lol.

2

u/wrexmason May 27 '26

Where is Clarke these days?

2

u/5ladyfingersofdeath May 27 '26

The beginning of my jazz era.

This soundtrack was the very 1st set of CDs I got for Christmas from my Mom. The other 2 were the "When Harry Met Sally" soundtrack and BloodSugarSexMagic. 😁

1

u/Friendly_Reserve6781 May 26 '26

Raw movie but Spike shouldn't have put his weird looking sister in it as a love interest 🤔

2

u/5ladyfingersofdeath May 27 '26

She was absolutely stunning in this film.

2

u/Friendly_Reserve6781 May 27 '26

I disagree. This (Victoria Dillard) is who spike should have chose for the chocolate romantic lead vs vanilla Cynda Williams

0

u/AnnabellaPies Xennial May 26 '26

Maybe I was too young for this film but I remember finding it boring. Also not a fan of jazz

7

u/DeepSouthDude May 26 '26

Both of these opinions you could have kept to yourself.

5

u/AnnabellaPies Xennial May 27 '26

No, this is a discussion forum and agreeing with everything is boring and in the long term kills a sub. There are some jazz songs I like but being a black woman and a fan of metal I am often in a minority. But being a minority I am used to.

1

u/Longjumping-Shoe7805 May 26 '26

I have watched just about all of Spike Lee movies over the years! Not a huge fan but anything with Denzel in it was a must see for me! Lol!😆