It’s not often that we find a film with as ambitious a premise as One Night in Miami succeeding in realizing its full potential. Inarguably, when it was first announced that Regina King (who is undeniably one of the finest actresses of her generation) would be making her feature directorial debut after years of working behind the camera on an array of television shows, very few expected it to be with something as audacious as an adaptation of Kemp Powers’ fascinating One Night in Miami. The story, which focuses on the night after the 1964 World Championship victory of Muhammad Ali (then known by his former name Cassius Clay), and his celebration with his closest friends, consisting of legendary singer Sam Cooke, world-renowned football player Jim Brown and revolutionary counter-culture icon Malcolm X, is one that seems more akin to a hypothetical project than it does something that is realized. Perhaps its the fact that it is a mainly fictionalized account of their meeting on that night, in which each of the four men explore a range of issues – their place as black public figures in a time when the Civil Rights Movement was reaching a peak, as well as their relationship with one another, which holds a lot more tension than we expect it at the start. However, what King and Powers (who adapted his own stage play) did with this material was nothing short of enchanting – a film that is always very serious about its issues, as well as having some moments of incredibly profound, sentimental humour, One Night in Miami is a triumph, and proof that the most simple stories tend to be more effective than those that bite off more than they can chew. An astonishing debut for an artist who continues to stake her claim as one of the most important voices we have in the contemporary arts, and a chance for a quartet of gifted actors to show their talents on a wider scale, there’s very little doubt that this is an essential film, regardless of how simple it may appear.

In many ways, it makes sense that King would choose this as her directorial debut – not necessarily for the subject matter (although as someone who has always made a point to stand up for important issues, there’s very little doubt that Powers’ play resonated with her), but also since she has always taken very calculated risks when she steps behind a camera. The resounding cry of nearly every working actor that they “really want to direct” has become almost parodic, especially when we see many of them fail, or at the very least struggle, since they believe that working in the industry for a couple of decades entitles them to be just as effective helming a film as those that had directed them in the past. King chooses to do something far more simple, but not any less artistically-profound. Perhaps the concept of directing a stage-to-screen adaptation seems like a pedestrian effort (especially when the playwright himself is writing the screenplay), until we realize that this isn’t solely a work that takes place in a single location and depends on the dialogue, but rather one that has had its world expanded beyond the specific time and location indicated by the title, using it as the centrepiece, but not as the sole context for the film’s action. King works carefully alongside Powers to bring this complex story to life – after all, One Night in Miami may be a film about four friends celebrating over the course of a single evening, but when we have four of the most important figures in their respective fields alongside each other, there was always going to be some degree of collision, which is neatly avoided through the sophisticated writing, and the wonderful control held by King and the rest of her collaborators, who somehow manage to defy the odds and present us with a story about four icons that are reduced to nothing but mere men, impeachable and vulnerable, which is precisely the point of the entire story, and the reason it succeeds so extensively.

It goes without saying that the four actors playing the leads were pivotal to the story, each one needing to be as strong as the next, without distracting from any of the others. It’s a tricky task, and one that is only made more difficult by the fact that all four of them are playing very recognizable public figures that aren’t only famous individuals, but also historically-important ones in their specific fields. Yet, this isn’t a biographical film on any of these four men, but rather a film that uses them as representatives of a particular time and place – One Night in Miami isn’t a film about Malcolm X, Muhammad Ali, Sam Cooke or Jim Brown, but rather a film about 1960s culture, as filtered through the perspective of four of its most notable people. Taking on such a task was undoubtedly a tall order, but each of the four actors delivers compelling performances, to the point where choosing a standout is almost impossible. They’re all on an even-keel, providing us with insights into the minds of these iconic figures without getting too lost in the characters. Leslie Odom, Jr. is fantastic as Cooke, using both his incredible voice and very unique presence, to evoke the spirit of a man who was caught between staying faithful to his roots, or succumbing to the mainstream success (meaning the crossover appeal with white audiences) he has been flirting with for years. Aldis Hodge is a formidable presence as the intimidating Jim Brown, who reveals himself to be just another young man hoping to reach a level of stardom – as a footballer, his career is dynamic but temporary, but if he were to become an actor, he would be immortal. Eli Goree is the most unknown of the quartet, but his charisma is immediately striking, and he bursts onto the scene with a ferocity that we don’t often find in such relative newcomers. The chemistry between the cast is staggering – but its Kingsley Ben-Adir as Malcolm X that holds them all together. Despite being the most subdued of the quarter, Ben-Adir is a force to be reckoned with – sophisticated but simmering with anger and uncertainty, he comes very close to achieving what Denzel Washington did with the noted revolutionary in the definitive 1992 biopic – and through being a shepherd for the wayward young souls he is guiding, he is the heart and soul of a film that is positively brimming with it.

One Night in Miami is a film that constantly teases the Cooke character with his apparent lack of dedication to the Civil Rights Movement, a fact that we now know wasn’t true, which is made very clear in the final stages of the film, where he performs his iconic anthem “A Change Is Gonna Come”. The song itself is a pivotal moment in the film, and the most effective way to end it – not only does it demonstrate Odom’s exceptional skills as a vocalist, it consolidates the major themes of identity and fighting against the institutions that dismiss such radical expressions of individuality, and the authority figures that directly or indirectly employ these outdated beliefs and maintain them, regardless of who is negatively affected by them. At a cursory glance, one would easily imagine the appeal of this project comes from the fact that it focuses on a group of iconic historical figures spending an evening in a hotel room, musing about life and their careers. However, if we look deeper into the form the story takes, and focus instead on the ideas evoked throughout it, it’s not difficult to see where the real impetus behind it lies. As someone who has always made sure to have a firm grasp on the socio-cultural pulse, King’s participation here is hardly a surprise – and using this as her big leap into the directorial seat is an admirable effort from someone who has yet to show herself as incapable of any challenge. Her directing is absolutely marvellous – she avoids the tropes of the conventional stage-to-screen adaptation, extending the narrative as far as she can, and inserting some creative flourishes that are somehow far more compelling than we’d expect from such relatively straightforward material. King is a monumental talent, and she is extending so much of herself to her place behind the camera, it would be surprising to see her not continue to pursue this path – and it’s truly a sign of a remarkable achievement when someone so established can reinvent herself to the point where she has audiences clamouring to see what her next project will be, and whether it is as an actor or director (or perhaps even both), King is continuing to dominate the industry in a beautiful way.

When it comes to the promises it makes, One Night in Miami is certainly a film that delivers exactly what we expect it to. There is very little surprise to be found in the premise, since the film is certainly adherent to the general narrative structure that it sets out to follow, with minimal deviations, and a plot structure that may not be predictable, but does keep to traditions in a very notable way. Instead, the surprises reside at a profoundly character-based level – in terms of the premise, the film presents us with a quartet of notable public figures, and convincingly tells a fictionalized story of their conversations over the course of a single night. One Night in Miami is so much more than just a work of vaguely-fantastical historical fiction that sees a collision of four notable people – it’s an electrifying story of individuality and fighting against oppression. Each one of these characters is rebelling against the status quo in their own way – whether being a self-professed militant who spreads his message directly, or being someone that defies expectations and infiltrates arenas of culture that are dominated by the white population, or simply through energizing the masses through their artistic expression, each one of these protagonists plays their part in a movement that is still not fully resolved, but through their efforts made some considerable leaps forward. One Night in Miami is a tender love-letter to a bygone era, and the myriad of people who played their part in advancing the march of progress and giving those who were marginalized a place at the table. Made with humour, heart and an abundance of pathos, and performed with such authenticity by an ensemble that found the humanity in otherworldly, iconic figures, there’s very little doubt that King made one of the most sincere and moving films of the past year, and a stunning debut that will hopefully launch a fruitful secondary career as a filmmaker in an industry that will only benefit from having her voice a part of it.