Chronicles the rise and fall of legendary blues singer Billie Holiday. Her late childhood, stint as a prostitute, early tours, marriages and drug addiction are featured.
Nominated for 5 Oscars. 5 wins & 8 nominations total
Top Critics Reviews
fresh:
Clearly, it's an affront to Holiday's art, but just as clearly, it's a good piece of low entertainment.
– Dave Kehr,
Chicago Reader,
1 Jan 2000
fresh:
The movie is filled with many of the great Billie Holiday songs, and Ross handles them in an interesting way. She doesn't sing in her own style, and she never tries to imitate Holiday, but she sings somehow in the manner of Holiday.
– Roger Ebert,
Chicago Sun-Times,
23 Oct 2004
rotten:
How is it possible for a movie that is otherwise so dreadful to contain such a singularly attractive performance in the title role?
– Vincent Canby,
New York Times,
9 May 2005
fresh:
Ross conveys the vulnerability and determination of her character across a very believable arc of maturation.