‘The United States Vs. Billie Holiday’: Lee Daniels’ Drama Can’t Honor The Trauma Behind ‘Strange Fruit’ [Review]

“God Bless the Child” was the first Billie Holiday song I ever heard. It was one of my grandmother’s favorites. She loved the lyrics because it was a lesson about how fake friends and money don’t mix. Reading the words years later, I realized those words had to reflect Holiday’s own life of love, loss, and money troubles—which director Lee Daniels explores in his new film “The United States vs. Billie Holiday.” It’s a mixed-at-best effort with a strong lead performance, but one that ultimately cannot honor the legendary song (or singer’s life) it takes most of its emotional and spiritual cues from.

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