A Heartbreaking Look at the Life and Persecution of 'Billie Holiday' - QC Approved (2024)

Published on March 8, 2021
Last updated on March 13, 2021/

Before watching The United States vs. Billie Holiday, I didn’t know much about the singer herself beyond her music. This movie opened my eyes to her personal life, her struggles, and her persecution at the hands of the U.S. government.

The United States vs. Billie Holiday is now available to stream on Hulu.

Original Release: Feb. 26, 2021
Country: United States
Language: English
Time period: 1940s – 1950s
Directors: Lee Daniels
Writers: Suzan-Lori Parks
Actors: Andra Day (see full cast)
Where to Watch: Hulu

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The United States vs. Billie Holiday Plot

This movie chronicles how the United States government persecuted famed jazz singer, Billie Holiday, in retaliation against her singing her controversial song, “Strange Fruit”, by pulling her into the racialized war on drugs.

Cast of The United States vs. Billie Holiday

QC Approved

The United States vs. Billie Holiday is a raw, unapologetic look at the life of the jazz singer. It is incredibly heartbreaking that most of the events depicted are historically accurate. The only deviation from Billie Holiday’s real life was the full-blown, romantic relationship with Jimmy Fletcher. Other than that, we persecution rooted in racism by Harry Anslinger, the abuse she suffered at the hands of various men throughout her life, and her on-going battle with drug addiction were all true. Perhaps the most endearing true fact was her love of dogs, and its inclusion presented her as the nuanced person she truly was.

Andra Day was born to play this part. I’ve only previously known her as a singer, a very talented one in her own right, so I was surprised to see in such a demanding role. This is only her second feature film, and her first lead role. Her performance was like watching Billie Holiday herself. Andra Day described how she had to abuse herself and smoke in order to transform herself for her role. She also had the tough task of not only mimicking but realistically recreating Holiday’s signature voice. Both Day’s acting and ang singing were breathtaking. No one else could have portrayed such a well-rounded Billie Holiday.

QC Disapproved

Many critics have commented on the uneven directing and writing. I definitely wouldn’t go as far as to say that the movie was a mess. I enjoyed the artistic directing and editing. Initially I found the video transitions a bit gimmicky and distracting, but the editing and the directing improved as the film progressed. One of the most powerful scenes involved Billie walking through multiple rooms, each one representing a moment in her life. A similar shooting and editing technique was used later when she broke down emotionally upon seeing a lynched Black man. The imagery of both scenes still haunt me.

On the other end, the script never quite redeemed itself. While it was a good base for the movie, it could have been tightened up a bit. At times, it seemed as if the movie’s script didn’t have a clear direction. Individual scenes were well-written and executed, but they were tied together very well. This alone took the film from being a masterpiece to being good but with flaws.

Some critics also took issue with the embellished relationship between Billie and Jimmy. I know, taking artistic license on someone’s actual life is odd, but in this case, I understand it. Perhaps there was something real in her life that could have been used instead to show she was so accustomed to being mistreated that even when something good came along, she would inevitably fall back into her old ways.

The United States vs. Billie Holiday Rating: 76.5

All in all, The United States vs. Billie Holiday was an ambitious and eye-opening look on the life of the jazz singer. It’s worth watching for Andra Day’s performance alone.