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Who Do You Love

Play trailer Poster for Who Do You Love 2010 1h 32m Drama Biography Play Trailer Watchlist
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40% Tomatometer 25 Reviews 67% Popcornmeter 100+ Ratings
Leonard Chess (Alessandro Nivola) founds a record company in 1950s Chicago and helps launch the careers of such artists as Muddy Waters (David Oyelowo) and Chuck Berry.
Who Do You Love

What to Know

Critics Consensus

It boasts an interesting cast, and the music remains unimpeachable, but this Chess Records biopic suffers from a workmanlike script -- as well as comparisons to its recent predecessor, Cadillac Records.

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Critics Reviews

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Andrea Gronvall Chicago Reader 04/30/2010
It was muscled out of the marketplace by Cadillac Records, Sony's glossy, star-studded movie about Leonard. But it's clearly the better movie, earthier, wittier, and more intimate in its treatment of America's racial divide in the 1950s. Go to Full Review Roger Ebert Chicago Sun-Times 04/29/2010
2.5/4
I think more edge is needed, more reality about the racial situation at the time, more insight into how and why R&B and rock 'n' roll actually did forever transform societies in America and the world. Go to Full Review Peter Rainer Christian Science Monitor 04/23/2010
B-
In the end, the most striking thing about Leonard is that he never seems to stop smoking. Go to Full Review Matt Pais Metromix.com 04/29/2010
3.5/5
Crackles with the sense of discovering genius that's ready to be heard and distributed. Go to Full Review Nora Lee Mandel Film-Forward.com 04/11/2010
5/10
Isn't the blues supposed to be cathartic and rock 'n' roll liberating? Recording maestro Chess is too tense and grim, and there are few joyous musical moments. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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01/03/2009 Kind of boring but the music is fantastic. The subject matter (the creation of Chess Records) is really interesting but the movie really felt like it was playing it safe with the story, only showing very calculated negatives in Leonard Chess' personality. One wonders if that was because his son was involved with this production? Also why was Etta James portrayed as a woman named "Ivy" in the movie, especially when she was singing "At Last"? Weird. See more Read all reviews
Who Do You Love

My Rating

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Cast & Crew

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Jerry Zaks

Director

Alessandro Nivola

Leonard Chess

David Oyelowo

Muddy Waters

Chi McBride

Willie Dixon

Jon Abrahams

Phil Chess

Megalyn Echikunwoke

Ivy Mills

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Who Do You Love

Who Do You Love (2008) Who Do You Love (2008) Who Do You Love (2008) (L-R) David Oyelowo as Muddy Waters and Alessandro Nivola as Leonard Chess in "Who Do You Love." (L-R) Marika Dominczyk as Revetta Chess, Alessandro Nivola as Leonard Chess and Jon Abrahams as Phil Chess in "Who Do You Love." Alessandro Nivola as Leonard Chess in "Who Do You Love." (L-R) Raheem DeVaughn as Andrew Tibbs, Chi McBride as Willie Dixon and Alessandro Nivola as Leonard Chess in "Who Do You Love." Robert Randolph as Bo Diddley in "Who Do You Love." (L-R) Marika Dominczyk as Revetta Chess and Alessandro Nivola as Leonard Chess in "Who Do You Love." View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis Leonard Chess (Alessandro Nivola) founds a record company in 1950s Chicago and helps launch the careers of such artists as Muddy Waters (David Oyelowo) and Chuck Berry.
Director
Jerry Zaks
Producer
Les Alexander, Andrea Baynes, Jonathan Mitchell
Screenwriter
Peter Wortmann, Bob Conte
Distributor
International Film Circuit [us]
Production Co
Alexander/ Mitchell Productions
Genre
Drama, Biography
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Apr 9, 2010, Limited
Runtime
1h 32m