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This story originally appeared in the Jackson Free Press. It was added to the Mississippi Free Press website in 2025.
Note that any opinions expressed in legacy Jackson Free Press stories do not reflect a position of the Mississippi Free Press or necessarily of its staff and board members.

Beyoncé Knowles plays Etta James in “Cadillac Records.” Credit: Courtesy Sony Pictures

IN THEATERS
• Theaters everywhere
• R, 108 minutes

It’s hard to admit this, but I love Beyoncé. And while she’s not a great actress, I was pleasantly surprised when I saw “Dreamgirls.” I’m sure that “Cadillac Records” is even better. Not just because Beyoncé portrays one of the greatest soul singers of our time, Etta James, but also because you can’t go wrong with the award-winning, top-notch cast that she supports: Adrien Brody, Eamonn Walker, Jeffrey Wright and (my favorite) Mos Def. The tale of the rise of Chess Records and of Muddy Waters, Chuck Berry and other musical greats promises good music, good acting and good times.

Mississippi native Donna Ladd and partner Todd Stauffer founded the Jackson Free Press in 2002 in the capital city. The heavily awarded local newspaper did many investigations heralded across the state and nation and served as a paper of record due to its diversity, inclusion, in-depth reporting and deep connection to readers and dedication to narrative change in and about Mississippi. In 2022, the nonprofit Mississippi Free Press, founded by Ladd and JFP Associate Publisher Kimberly Griffin in 2020, purchased the journalism assets and archives of the Jackson Free Press. A Google grant through AAN Publishers enabled Newspack's integration of the JFP archives into the Mississippi Free Press website to become part of a more searchable archive of recent Mississippi history and essential journalism.