Sometimes movies really let you down. If you’re like me, Billie Holiday is a name that intrigues, a legendary singer you know only from voice, reputation, and the occasional anachronistic melody summoned randomly – perhaps you want to know more, perhaps this is the perfect opportunity. Of course, if you’re like me, the very second Garrett Hedlund appeared on the screen you would reconsider your optimism. Still, the optimism was present; and the movie was unpleasant. I wish I’d read a biography, bought a Billie Holiday album, or even read the wiki entry instead of watching this film.
In 1939, Billie Holiday (Andra Day) recorded a song called “Strange Fruit.” The lyrics were taken from a poem describing lynching in grotesque detail. This was a huge departure for Billie, whose iconic voice was known almost exclusively for love ballads. It would be hard to understate the importance of the composition; the song itself has been called “the beginning of the civil rights movement.” And as a result of her performances of “Strange Fruit,” Billie Holiday would be dogged by the FBI for the rest of her life.
This all would be great stuff if 1) it were decent screenplay material (it isn’t) or 2) The United States vs. Billie Holiday focused on the political rather than the personal. Billie Holiday’s personal life proved hard to watch and even harder to enjoy. There are four basic scenes in this film: Billie sings, Billie drugs, Billie breasts, Billie busted. The film is just an endless loop of those scenes recycling over and over and over again.
Historically, the voice of Billie Holiday has meant a lot to a lot of people, however, the Billie Holiday of this film comes off as –essentially- an abuser of substances and people. We forgive her because of her talent and the fact that she had a lousy 
upbringing, but –and I want to be clear here- that doesn’t make the picture any better. Fine, Billie, I forgive you the drugs and the need to attach yourself to a man … would it be too much to ask that we see something that we actually might want to see? The United States vs. Billie Holiday reminded me a lot of Jimi: All Is by My Side and I raise the same exact question I raised for that film: does the director (in this case Lee Daniels) even like his subject?
I suppose this film could have some redeeming quality for you if, perhaps, your great grandfather ever wondered what Billie Holiday looked like naked … this is one possible representation. Apparently, Billie slept around a bit which lends new meaning to the phrase “going on Holiday.”
Andra Day plays Billie as an observer of her life rather than a participant. Hence, the only part of the film I found engaging was the section where Lee Daniels explored the origins of “Strange Fruit.” However, as this part comes from an exceedingly unpleasant place and almost certainly led to Billie’s rampant drug abuse, the history gets played down in favor of yet another scene of one of the four listed above.
Paced by a slew of rotten performances and forgettable characters (including the lead), The United States vs. Billie Holiday is tiresome and annoying; this is the kind of film you return to five times over starting each iteration with the hope that this time it will show you the film you wanted to see when you first heard the title. It never gets there.
♪Holiday
It’s Billie Holiday
Bet you don’t know a thing about her…
Sang a song ‘bout Southern lynching
Pissed off Feds
They took to stalking
Did some drugs and kinda slept around
Then she sang and stiffed her or-chestra
Oh now I know and don’t want no mo’
Of Billie
Holiday♫
Rated R, 130 Minutes
Director: Lee Daniels
Writer: Suzan-Lori Parks
Genre: Messy biopics
Type of being most likely to enjoy this film: People who think all Americans should know “Strange Fruit”
Type of being least likely to enjoy this film: Both irredeemable racists & people who want to love Billie Holiday
♪ Parody Inspired by “All of Me”
