
Mr. Dynamite: The Rise of James Brown
2014 · Movie · 115 min · ★ 6.9 · 95% critics
James Brown changed the face of American music forever. Abandoned by his parents at an early age, James Brown was a self-made man who became one of the most influential artists of the 20th century, not just through his music, but also as a social activist. Charting his journey from rhythm and blues to funk, MR. DYNAMITE: THE RISE OF JAMES BROWN features rare and previously unseen footage, photographs and interviews, chronicling the musical ascension of “the hardest working man in show business,” from his first hit, “Please, Please, Please,” in 1956, to his iconic performances at the Apollo Theater, the T.A.M.I. Show, the Paris Olympia and more.
Where to watch
Streaming on Amazon Prime Video and Qello Concerts.
2 hours to watch.
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Details
- Years
- 2014
- Release date
- 2014-04-27
- Language
- English
- Runtime
- 115 min
- Critic score
- 95/100
- TMDB rating
- 6.9/10 (40 votes)
Themes
- dancing
- rags to riches
- rhythm and blues (r&b)
- funk music
- soul music
- african american
- black music
Cast & crew

James Brown
as Self (archive footage)

Bootsy Collins
as Self

Chuck D
as Self

Mick Jagger
as Self

Questlove
as Self

Bobby Byrd
as Self

Melvin Parker
as Self

Maceo Parker
as Self

Clyde Stubblefield
as Self
- MH
Martha High
as Self
Directed by Alex Gibney