One Night in Miami
“One Night in Miami” is striking for its subtle portrayal of religion, specifically the Nation of Islam, in a matter-of-fact way. As Muhammad Ali readies to become a member of the Black separatist group that embraces a nontraditional form of Islam, leader Malcolm X gently corrects his protégé by helping him place his arms in a particular position as they begin a time of prayer. Outside the hotel room, where much of the action takes place, stand the ever-present members of the Fruit of Islam, the Nation of Islam’s security force.
“One Night in Miami,” timed to the hours after Ali won a heavyweight championship in the Florida city, is a fictional depiction of a real-life, all-night gathering of Ali, Malcolm X, R&B singer Sam Cooke and football star Jim Brown.
It displays the tension that could be viewed as universal for religious figures who are held up as examples of proper behavior and devotion to their faith. Malcolm X takes to using his camera to photograph his colleagues in a bar while the others imbibe. But he’s also considering moving away from the Nation of Islam and is headed to Mecca soon after the all-night conversation depicted in the movie.
The film also explores the way four Black men’s lives intersect — and don’t — with differing levels of adherence to and respect for faith but a bond of friendship that often helps them overcome those differences. (By Adelle M. Banks)
