Respect

The recreation of some of Aretha Franklin’s hits is brilliant, scenes sublimely directed by Liesl Tommy, with vocal performances from Jennifer Hudson living up to the faith Aretha Franklin had in her (even if she is not quite in Franklin’s league – but then, no one is or will be, the woman was peerless) and reflecting what the excitement must have been like when those songs were fresh and new. It is a shame that the screenplay isn’t sharper. Aretha Franklin deserves better than the banality that deflates this otherwise excellent effort.