REVIEW: Story of ‘Rustin’ is important, but told without cinematic flair

Sometimes a film comes along that does something positive by shining a light on a hidden figure, but doesn’t do so in extraordinary fashion.

This movie is an example. It tells the story of Bayard Rustin (Colman Domingo), who was the lead organizer for the March on Washington in 1963. The event is now most well known for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech and a subsequent meeting with President John F. Kennedy.

Getting to those historic moments took an immense amount of planning and mobilization, though, and Rustin was at the center of it all. The film dramatizes this, as well as Rustin’s experience as a gay man during a time where he had to keep his relationships hidden.

There are moments in history that can be so well documented in many aspects, and an important figure involved can still be forgotten or overlooked. With that in mind, it’s a good thing for films like this to exist and lend a spotlight.

Bayard Rustin, admittedly, is a figure who wasn’t brought up as much in history classes compared to his counterparts in the Civil Rights Movement. In that sense, it’s commendable for the filmmakers to tell his story and detail his involvement in an event that was a big step forward for civil rights.

In addition to telling the story of a historical figure, the movie is also an effective reminder of just how much work went into moving this country forward. Throughout history, efforts to improve America have taken great amounts of labor and struggle.

This was true with unions demanding better labor rights, women’s suffrage and, of course, the movement at the center of this film. This movie is a window into that work that took place day and night, even if it was just for a single event. 

Again, this is commendable for a filmmaker to portray. However, while it deserves credit for dramatizing an important effort and telling the tale of a man whose story has been looked over, it does so in a less than memorable fashion. At many points, “Rushin” comes across more like a made-for-television production, lacking cinematic artistry.

The film feels simplified and watered down, too, from Rustin having a roadblock in NAACP head Roy Wilkins who comes across as overly antagonistic, making things too black and white, to a surface-level portrayal of his sexuality. Simply put, it stays in a generic territory and lacks depth.

Even with this being the case, though, the film remains watchable thanks to a powerhouse performance from Domingo, who captures Rustin’s attitude of charging ahead for progress. He does great work in portraying his character’s infectious energy. 

“Rustin” can be appreciated for telling the story of a man who many may not know and also displaying the work necessary to make progress in the United States. It also heavily benefits from a strong lead performance. However, the film also looks and feels as if its just scratching the surface in many ways. 3.25 out of 5.