Rustin (2023)
Directed by George C. Wolfe
[Rated PG-13] 1hr 48min
★★★½
Rustin is a biopic drama about Bayard Rustin’s important role in the civil rights movement, specifically during the time he was organizing the 1963 March on Washington. It also focuses on the struggles he faced as a gay Black man in both his public and private lives.
The main highlight of this movie is Colman Domingo’s stellar performance as Rustin. His acting carries the entire film and elevates it to become more than a generic historical drama. He keeps the narrative engaging and emotionally investing from the very first scene. In addition, the subject matter of Rustin’s major contributions to to the civil rights movement is highly informative, as his story is often overlooked in history. Although the rest of the film’s elements never match the greatness of Domingo’s performance, they’re still good enough so that they don’t detract from the overall movie experience.
Rustin is great for those who enjoy watching movies about history and important historical figures. Domingo’s performance alone makes the film worth watching as well. He’s been nominated for Best Actor in the 2024 Academy Awards, which is airing this Sunday.
Rustin is currently available to stream on Netflix. Click here to watch the Official Teaser Trailer.
– Review by Will Hopper