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Writer/director Tyler Perry may be best known for his Madea comedies, but before bringing his beloved character to the big screen, he wrote dramas for the stage. And he brings all of the romance, heartbreak, and music of a successful stage production (and then some) to his Netflix drama A Jazzman’s Blues.
A Jazzman’s Blues follows the star-crossed love story of Bayou (Joshua Boone) and Leanne (Solea Pfeiffer), who meet as teenagers in their small Georgia town. Leanne’s grandfather keeps her hidden away, but they meet every night, falling in love over the summer. They plan to run away and get married—but as soon as her family finds out, they take her away to Boston. When Bayou and Leanne reconnect years later, she’s passing as a white woman, married into a rich but racist family—and her insistence on seeing him again puts them both in danger.
Told through the returned letters that Bayou wrote to Leanne through their years apart, A Jazzman’s Blues mostly follows Bayou’s side of their love story. But while Bayou and Leanne and their troubled romance may be at the center of the drama, there are so many other issues running throughout the film—and layers upon layers of drama.
After his father (E. Roger Mitchell) leaves the family to chase jazz stardom in Chicago, Bayou works to help his mother (Amirah Vann), who’s been left with nothing—and at every step of the way, he faces jealousy and abuse from his older brother (Austin Scott), who believes that he deserves to be a star. There’s definitely a lot to explore here. In this one film, Perry tackles so many issues of race and family and life in the South. He brings in music and racism and abuse and sibling rivalry and drug addiction and forbidden love. And many aspects of the story deserve more time and attention—or maybe even a separate film.
Through all of the romance and heartbreak of this story, though, Bayou is a grounding force. He feels a strong sense of duty to protect those around him—no matter the cost—and the entire film is built on his care and concern for others. But while his story isn’t without its moving moments, it’s also so overstuffed with drama and storylines that the central story sometimes gets lost in the background noise.
In covering a lifetime of love and success and hardship for one very busy character, A Jazzman’s Blues tries to tackle a whole lot of issues in one two-hour film. And its complicated story and tendency toward melodrama takes away from some of the power of this moving story of forbidden love in the South.
You can watch A Jazzman’s Blues on Netflix starting on September 23, 2022.
Listen to the review on Reel Discovery:
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