By Jia D’Souza and Natalia George

Hey there!

When it came down to deciding what to feature in this month’s Casual Observations, we were a little perplexed at what would be a perfect fit for this month’s extremely abstract theme of ‘The Domino Effect’. Then it hit us; The Civil Rights Movement in 1960s America was the poster child for how a few who were hungry for equality were able to create such an impactful chapter in history, whose spillover effects continue to be seen in our society today.

One Night in Miami is a 2020 American Drama film that was declared one of the Top 10 Movies of the Year by the American Film Institute Awards, directed by the famous Regina King, starring Kingsley Ben-Adir, Eli Goree, Aldis Hodge and none other than Leslie Odom Jr. The movie is an ode to the coinciding paths of the heroes of the Civil Rights Movement- Malcolm X, Cassius Clay (to be later known as Muhammad Ali), Jim Brown and Sam Cooke.

The four men meet up in a Black friendly motel to celebrate the victory Cassius Clay over Sonny Liston, which made him the Heavyweight Champion of the World. This unique, dynamic group of men, each with different talents and abilities, are all struggling in their own ways. Malcolm X, a high ranking minister in the Nation of Islam, runs into disagreements with the leader of the organisation, Elijah Muhammad, and is in the process of planning his escape from the group. Cassius Clay, who eventually adopts the name Muhammad Ali, grapples with publicly showing his alliance to the Nation of Islam. Jim Brown, a successful running back for the Cleveland Browns is in a limbo, trying his hand at Hollywood. Sam Cooke, a well known black musician who is a trailblazer in appealing to a white audience, faces rejection after a disastrous gig at the Copacabana in New York.

The effect of that somber February night in 1964 is long lasting. The dominos begin to fall the minute Malcom requests them to use the night of Clay’s momentous victory to reflect. The four men are wrestling with how to balance their responsibilities to their black communities and their aspirations. The characters spend most of their time together during the movie in a motel room, intently discussing what it means to be successful African American men in a time where they were still prohibited from even setting foot in White households. The movie is set in the 1960s, a hopeful era for Black people as they follow the footsteps of Martin Luther King, and see their emancipation on the horizon. The struggle to keep their families safe, be a noble representation of their communities and battle the white man’s suppression is something that only few can handle. Over the course of 2 hours we see the four men come to the realisation of the gravity of the struggle ahead of them and the importance they hold as men of fame. 

Admittedly when we first saw the title ‘One Night In Miami’, we were expecting a cliché surfing movie set on the backdrop of the Floridan sunset, so this movie definitely caught us off guard as soon as we hit play. This movie is quite the opposite of our initial expectations as it dealt with such heavy and raw themes like struggle, inequality and even the rite of passage, especially in how a few successful Black men could go on to add power to their fight for equality in their own ways. We loved that despite there being many setting changes for the characters together, the cast was able to add power and movement to the scene through the weight of their words, really embodying what each historical figurehead represented.

Odom and Ben-Adir are electrifying with their quick back and forths that give us harsh reality checks of the struggles they face. This resonates with the transformative mood and tone of the 1960s. The movie has a very conversational aspect to it, with a lot of heated dialogue, often leading to conflict. To truly appreciate it for what it represents, you need to keep your ears opened as you listen to what each character has to say and how it reflects back on their place in society and how they eventually evolve into the roles they set out to occupy. That being said, we believe that this movie is the most suitable for a more mature audience who would be able to gut the racial slurs, strong language and mature themes. 

Each of these men go on to empower their community and lay the foundations for the struggle and pave the way for the younger generations to stand up tall. These four men fought for  their cause in their unique ways, and the domino effect of their actions can still be seen today. Malcolm X went on to create the Organization of Afro American Unity that fought racism, Sam Cooke sang of the momentous events in iconic songs like “A Change Is Gonna Come”, Brown broke all barriers by becoming a successful actor and some of the most important fights Muhammad Ali fought were outside the ring.

From every small victory to a large victory, these men and millions that followed them were not afraid to dream of an equal society. In fact, the dominoes are still falling and the culmination can still be seen today with the Black Lives Matter movement. That being said, many more dominoes are yet to fall before we reach equality for all in the way that the four incredible men in this movie dreamed.

Until next time, 

Nuts and Chia 

Watch One Night in Miami on Prime !