Aretha Franklin didn’t always keep the faith. Who does? Who can? We all fall short.

“Respect” depicts the great singer’s struggles with the “demons” in her life, whether manifested as or from physical and emotional abuse from some of the men in her life, self-inflicted in terms of her own psychology, or her apparently sometimes haughty demeanor in professional dealings.

“Respect” is a by-the-book biopic based on the life and career of Aretha Franklin. There are a few touches that lift the film above the routine, including use of flashback sequences when Franklin (portrayed by the remarkable Jennifer Holiday, who deserves an Oscar actress nomination) remembers the love and support of her mother (an Oscar-worthy supporting actress turn by Audra McDonald).

Crucial scenes in “Respect” revolve around Franklin’s conflicted relationship with her father, the Rev. C.L Franklin (an Oscar-worthy supporting actor performance by Forest Whitaker), as well as with her first husband, Ted White (Marlon Wayans), portrayed as physically and emotionally abusive to Franklin, and also with Atlantic Records partner and producer Jerry Wexler (Marc Maron), with whom Franklin had artistic differences, but who is credited with conveying the essence of her powerful and expressive singing voice and putting her recordings at the top of the pop music chart.

“Respect” illuminates numerous aspects of Aretha Franklin’s life with which the casually pop music listener or even ardent fan might not be familiar (some of the facts and circumstances are in dispute). Suffice it to say, the biopic gives the movie-goer a more in-depth appreciation of Franklin as singer, performer, producer and humanitarian. “Respect” gives respect to Aretha. R-e-s-p-e-c-t.

The arrangement and production of the song, “Respect,” again if accurate, is fascinating fun. Aretha Franklin’s girlhood nickname was “Re,” as in A-re-tha. Standing around her at the piano, Franklin’s sisters and backup singers, Carolyn (Hailey Kilgore) and Erma (Saycon Sengbloh), begin singing “Re, Re, Re ... “

And off they go, shaping the hit song that eclipsed the original written by Otis Redding, who recorded his song in 1965. “TCB” (Taking Care of Business), indeed. The other catch phrase from Franklin’s recording, “Sock it to me ... Sock it to me,” became a household catch-phrase popularized by the facial expressions and dancing image of Goldie Hawn on TV’s “Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In” (1968 - 1970).

Moreover, “Respect” became associated with the Civil Rights and Women’s Liberation movements.

In her autobiography, “Aretha: From These Roots,” Franklin wrote that her recording of “Respect” was “an ongoing blessing in my life. It was the need of a nation, the need of the average man and woman in the street, the businessman, the mother, the fireman, the teacher. Everyone wanted respect.”

The song, “Respect,” which went to No. 1 on the Billboard 100, became Franklin’s signature song, despite her many other hits, including “(You Make Me Feel Like A) Natural Woman,” written by Carole King; “I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You)”; “Chain of Fools”; “Think,” “Rock Steady”; “Until You Come Back to Me (That’s What I’m Gonna Do)”; “Rock Steady”; “Jump to It”; “Freeway of Love,” and “Who’s Zoomin’ Who.”

“Respect” is a music buff’s buffet for its insider look at Franklin’s concert performances, music business interactions and recording sessions, especially that at legendary Fame Studios, Muscle Shoals, Ala., backed by the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section, which led to the studio living up to its namesake and rock groups (including the Rolling Stones) traveling there to record.

The film, “Respect,” could have been titled “Soul and Inspiration,” for Franklin’s phenomenal soul music roots, a secular way of saying gospel music. After an apparent battle with alcoholism, Franklin tossed aside the spirits for some real spirit, encapsulated in her 1972 gospel album, “Amazing Grace” (said to be the biggest-selling release of Franklin’s career, as well as of live gospel albums), recorded live at New Temple Missionary Baptist Church, Los Angeles, and filmed by director Sydney Pollack, but not released as a film until 2018.

Tony Award nominee Liesl Tommy (director, TV’s “Jessica Jones,” 2015; “Walking Dead,” 2010) in her feature film directorial debut, directs from a screenplay by Tracey Scott Wilson (Primetime Emmy nominee, writer, TV’s “Fosse-Verdon,” 2019; “The Americans,” 2013) based on a story by Scott Wilson and Callie Khouri (Oscar recipient, screenwriter, “Thelma & Louise,” 1991; screenwriter, “Something to Talk About,” 1995; “Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood,” 2002).

At the center of “Respect” is not only the thought-provoking story of Aretha Franklin’s life, but the performance of Jennifer Hudson, who was born to play the role. Hudson (Oscar recipient, supporting actress, “Dreamgirls,” 2007) is one of the few singer-actors who could portray Aretha Franklin. Hudson hits all the right notes, not only in the songs, but in the range of emotions, from lows to highs, emblematic of Franklin’s life and career.

“Respect” demands respect. If you’re a fan of Aretha Franklin, Jennifer Hudson and their music, don’t miss it. “Re, re, re, Respect.”

“Respect,”

MPAA rated PG-13 (Parents Strongly Cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13.) for mature thematic content, strong language including racial epithets, violence, suggestive material, and smoking; Genre: Biography, Drama, Music; Run time: 2 hr., 25 min. Distributed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.

Credit Readers Anonymous:

Photos of Aretha Franklin and film of her 2015 performance at the Kennedy Center Honors are shown. Franklin worked on the development of “Respect” until she died Aug. 16, 2018. Franklin reportedly chose Jennifer Hudson to portray her and said that Hudson would win an Oscar for her portrayal of her.

Theatrical Movie Box Office,

Aug. 27-29: Oh, who can dethrone Ryan Reynolds in “Free Guy”? With apologies to Sammy Davis Jr.’s hit song, “The Candyman” can. “Candyman,” a reprisal of the horror-film series, opened at No. 1 with $22.3 million, in 3,569 theaters, dropping “Free Guy” from its two-week perch at No. 1 to No. 2 with $13.5 million, in 3,940 theaters, $79.3 million, three weeks.

3. “Paw Patrol: The Movie” dropped one place, $6.6 million, in 3,189 theaters, $24 million, two weeks. 4. “Jungle Cruise” dropped one place, $5 million, in 3,370 theaters, $100.1 million, five weeks, becoming the fifth COVID-era movie to pass that mark. 5. “Don’t Breathe 2” dropped one place, $2.8 million, 2,703 theaters, $24.5 million, three weeks. 6. “Respect” dropped one place, $2.1 million, in 2,607 theaters, $19.6 million, three weeks. 7. “The Suicide Squad” dropped one place, $2 million, in 2,436 theaters, $52.7 million, four weeks. 8. “The Protege” dropped one place, $1.6 million, in 2,577 theaters, $5.7 million, two weeks. 9. “The Night House” dropped one place, $1.2 million, in 2,240 theaters, $5.1 million, two weeks. 10. “Black Widow,” $855,000, in 1,050 theaters, $181.5 million, eight weeks.

Box office information from Box Office Mojo as of Aug. 29 is subject to change.

Unreel,

Sept. 3:

“Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings,”

PG-13: Destin Daniel Cretton directs Simu Liu, Awkwafina, Tony Chiu-Wai Leung and Michelle Yeoh in the Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Science-Fiction film. Shang-Chi, a master of Kung Fu, faces his past as part of the Ten Rings organization.

Movie opening information is from Internet Movie Database.

Three Popcorn Boxes out of Five Popcorn Boxes