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As Good As It Gets

This is one of the best movies I’ve seen in a very long time. You have to go and see this on the big screen.

I've seen this onstage twice and was mesmerized by it both times. I saw this on HBO when I was in New York and thought it was terrific. I've seen Audra McDonald onstage twice, in Ragtime and Shuffle Along, and she was outstanding in both. She works hard to sound like Holliday in this remarkable biopic, and it's a vast improvement over Lady Sings the Blues, which was essentially a black version of Funny Girl. (Nicky Arnstein wasn't the hero Omar Sharif made him out to be, just as Louis MacKay wasn't the rescuer Billy Dee Williams played. They were both users who got plenty out of these women, only to abandon them when they were really needed. Don't miss this one!

Recently I saw the show in London and was mesmerised. Having been told that it had been filmed by HBO I managed to track down a recording. Such a wonderful reminder of a brilliant night! Was Audra performing or had Billie come back amongst us? I gave the cigarette and lit it for Billie (oops, Audra!) and she acknowledged me when she took her applause at the end. I was choked. I have seen her concert at the Leicester Square Theatre in 2016 and a more different show cannot be imagined, though also brilliant. Audra is such a great actor and singer.

Lady Day at Emerson's Bar & Grill has been done too many times and thank God for that! For if this version was never done we would all be missing out on something incredibly Great! I'm speaking of the great Audra McDonald. So great she is, you forget that you are not really watching the great late Lady Day herself. Ms. McDonald doesn't just embodies Lady Day, she captures her movements, speaking, singing and cussing vernacular to the umpteenth degree. Anyone who knows Ms. McDonald's work can attest to the fact that she is certainly multi talented but what she does with this performance is on a whole 'nother level. You will enjoy all of her colorful commentary and musical numbers but let me caution you, (spoiler alert) you will witness a sad and oftentimes pitiful Lady Day as she slowly succumbs to her drunken druggy mess. Certainly gone too soon! Bravo, Audra McDonald!

I saw this in New York live with Audra McDonald in 2014. It was the most convincing acting that I had ever seen--especially live. The story and music have haunted me since that night. I always tell people that that night I did not see Audra McDonald perform; I saw Billie Holiday perform. From the moment it started, I was captivated. When I found out about it being on HBO, I was ecstatic. I would put the New York performance at comfortable 10. The only reason I am ranking this as a 9 is because I don't know what it's like to experience the HBO version without comparing it. There are very minute differences about the two; they're nearly identical. However, the HBO version is slightly less convincing at least in the beginning. From God Bless the Child to the end it's painfully intoxicating. I highly recommend it, and if you decide to watch it, take away all distractions. Imagine you are actually in the bar watching one of the greatest jazz musicians in history.