Quartile rating: 7.5/10 · 1 rating
In the aftermath of Cassius Clay's defeat of Sonny Liston in 1964, the boxer meets with Malcolm X, Sam Cooke and Jim Brown to change the course of history in the segregated South.
One Night in Miami is a stage-to-screen adaptation that leans heavily on its source material's theatrical bones. The acting is the clear standout — Kingsley Ben-Adir, Eli Goree, Aldis Hodge, and Leslie Odom Jr. deliver uniformly compelling performances, making the ensemble the film's undeniable strength. The plot, confined largely to a hotel room, is driven by sharp dialogue and ideological tension, though its theatrical origins occasionally limit cinematic momentum. Regina King's direction is confident but deliberately restrained, keeping the visual palette functional rather than inventive. Novelty is moderate — the premise of imagining this real historical meeting is intriguing, but the chamber-drama format is familiar, and the film doesn't radically transform its stage origins. The ending is emotionally resonant but somewhat expected given the historical framing.