Platicsco Good story, Not enough for a whole film

ThedevilChoose When a movie has you begging for it to end not even half way through it's pure crap. We've all seen this movie and this characters millions of times, nothing new in it. Don't waste your time.

Taraparain Tells a fascinating and unsettling true story, and does so well, without pretending to have all the answers.

Juana what a terribly boring film. I'm sorry but this is absolutely not deserving of best picture and will be forgotten quickly. Entertaining and engaging cinema? No. Nothing performances with flat faces and mistaking silence for subtlety.

charlywiles Oh what a film this could have been if it concentrated more on the performers, the musical numbers and the personalities at the infamous club in the movie's title. I found the Hines brothers story (loosely based on the Nicholas brothers) and Gregory's relationship with the luminous Lonette McKee (who has never been fully utilized during her career) to be much more interesting than the gangster angle, which to me kept getting in the way. Gangster films are a dime a dozen and I thought that both Gere and Lane were somewhat bland as the movie's leads and James Remar's(Dutch Schultz) and Nicholas Cage's (Mad Dog Dwire) performances were a little cartoonish and over-the-top. The film's highlights include the marvelous interplay between Bob Hoskins (Owney Madden) and Fred Gwynne (reminding one of a sort of hoodlum version of "Mutt and Jeff") and some terrific musical numbers (even if they were truncated) like "The Hoofer's Club" tap dance, McKee's terrificallly staged "Ill Wind" and the Hines brothers thrilling song-and-dance to "Crazy Rhythm." We also only get to see glimpses of some of the real life performers at the club like Duke Ellington and Cab Calloway. There is definitely a fine film to be made about the story of these people who performed in a place where their amazing talents enabled them to be on stage, but who were not allowed in the audience due to their color. Unfortunately, although the picture has its moments and is definitly worth seeing, this is not it.

Lee Eisenberg Following his masterpieces "The Godfather" and "Apocalypse Now", Francis Ford Coppola entered a period in which his career suffered. Although he still made good movies - particularly "The Outsiders" - they didn't gain the renown of his 1970s work. One example was "The Cotton Club". The focus is the famous jazz joint in Harlem. In addition to the music, there's dealings with gangsters, racial and ethnic tensions, and other things. But no matter what happens, the show must go on.I thought that the most interesting story in the movie is the relationship between Sandman (Gregory Hines) and Lila (Lonette McKee). What is essentially an interracial relationship - he's black, she's mulatto - drives an important chunk of the plot, especially since this is an era in which most people don't think twice about using racial epithets (but are things much better now?). The relationship between Dixie (Richard Gere) and Vera (Diane Lane) doesn't seem developed enough. As for the ownership of the clubs by gangsters and their countless alliances and betrayals...well, what do you expect from gangsters? Basically, it's an OK, not great movie. Far from Coppola's best. The rest of the cast is too big to name, but let's just say that you've never seen Eddie Valiant, Herman Munster, Dr. Morpheus and Baby Haussman in a movie together before. There's quite a time to be had here. Not a masterpiece, but I recommend it.

alexdeleonfilm Viewed in retro section of the 2017 Berlin Film Festival. The Cotton Club was a famous night club in Harlem. The story follows the people that visited the club, the mobsters that ran it, and the Jazz music and dancing that made it so famous. Director: Francis Ford Coppola (as Francis Coppola) Stars: Richard Gere, Gregory Hines, Diane Lane, Bob Hoskins et al. Thankfully, following the dismal horror of "El Bar"day 6 ended on a very upbeat note with a screening of Francis Coppola's 1974 musical masterpiece, The Cotton Club. in the retrospectives sidebar. This was second festival film starring Richard Gere (the other was the abominable "The Dinner" in competition) -- but 32 years younger. With an all star cast including Bob Hoskins, incredible tap dancer Gregory Hines, and a gorgeous Diane Lane in possibly her most captivating role ever as a blonde floozy and gun moll at the end of the Roaring Twenties. The story begins in Harlem in 1928 and follows events at the fabled Jazz Age Cotton Club up through the stock market crash of 1929 then on to 1931. The club whose entertainers were mostly black was owned by white mobsters so the racial tension of the time is a major issue in the film -- notably the secondary love story between Hines and a beautiful club entertainer who is pale skinned enough to pass for white. In one comical scene when they try to check in to a hotel and are told that no mixed race couples are allowed, the flustered desk clerk asks her "What color Are You!" -- Machine gun Shootouts alternate with lavish dance production numbers in what is probably the only Gangster-Musical ever made. Classic film joy from Beginning to end in which Gere plays his own cornet solos and Gregory Hines rocks the screen with several sequences of divinely inspired tap dancing. Who could ask for anything more?! The plot was a bit overly convoluted and dragged somewhat here and there so I can't give it a full ten stars but it was overall a fully packed film experience and made my festival day. The mass dance numbers are redolent of Bollywood and that is a compliment, not a put down!

brtndr I would have given this movie a 2 star review if it wasn't for Diane Lane, because back in the early 80's Dianne Lane was every young boys dream girl. I know, because I was a young boy back in the early 80's. And, if you want to see Diane Lane at her most enchanting hotness, then you might want to check out The Cotton Club? That is, if you don't mind sitting through a mess of a movie that's over 2hrs long, and you don't care what happens to any of the multitude of characters story lines. Except, maybe Diane Lane's character, because she was just that HOT.But, don't worry Cotton Club fans out there, I will include a few positive aspects in this review about the movie. That doesn't involve murder conspiracy's of drug dealing movie producers. Only because IMDb requires at least a 10 line minimum written review before it can be posted on their website. Which is about, 9 lines longer than I care to spend writing about The Cotton Club. But the rules are the rules.The best thing The Cotton Club has to offer an audience is its stellar ensemble cast of actors and actresses. Even the ones that aren't Diane Lane. Some were already well established TV and Movie stars like Richard Gere, Fred Gwynne, Gwen Verdon and Gregory Hines. While others weren't house hold names yet like Nicholas Cage, Laurance Fishburne, Diane Lane and Bob Hoskins. But, would go on later to become huge Stars despite their appearance in The Cotton Club. I guess someone up there likes them?However, despite the movies great ensemble cast, you just DO NOT care about any of the characters in the movie. It's really hard to say exactly why you don't care if Nicholas Cage's character is gun downed in a phone booth. Or if Gregory Hines, Richard Gere and Laurance Fishburn ever get the girl at the end of the movie. Maybe, it's because there were so many different characters, that you never cared about, who couldn't get the girl until the very end of the movie. The only time I ever cared about any of the characters who didn't get me aroused while watching them, like Diane Lane for example. Is when I felt Sad that the evil Mob boss Dutz Sholtz was eventually killed, because he was the only interesting character in the entire movie. The Cotton Clubs' writer/director Francis Ford Coppola has made some great movies and some stinkers. The Cotton Club is definitely at the top of Coppola's 'Stinker List'. I hope I finally have the required IMDb 10 line minimum to post a review this time? I really don't want to spend any more time writing about The Cotton Club. The movie gets a D- from me, but I will change my review to a C+ if someone knows if Diane Lane does any texting.