Questlove's 'Summer of Soul' is a blast of joy when we need it most

Please see the joyous "Summer of Soul." Please see it in a theater with primo sound.

Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson's documentary about a series of outdoor concerts in Harlem in 1969 — the same time as the Apollo 11 moon landing and just before Woodstock — seems designed to make you grin as wide as possible. Its acts demonstrate what an extraordinary time it was for American music, when a gospel song ("Oh Happy Day") could reach the top of the pop charts, right next to a jazz song, Stevie Wonder and Sly and the Family Stone.

Winner of the audience and jury awards at this year's Sundance Film Festival, "Summer of Soul" is packed with musical highlights. Wonder kicks it off with a blistering drum solo. Mahalia Jackson and Mavis Staples duet on Martin Luther King Jr.'s favorite hymn, "Take My Hand, Precious Lord," a performance so electrifying they seem to be directing it to him in heaven. Nina Simone owns the crowd, singing and commanding them to battle injustice.

The hits keep coming in "Soul" but Questlove, leader of the Roots, has bigger ambitions and the talent to realize them. I can't think of another drummer who became a movie director, but the transition makes sense, given how important rhythm and pace are to both. Questlove's instincts are sure as he scatters comments from the artists into performances, achieving a staccato effect that makes it even more impactful when a number like Sly's "Everyday People" plays out uninterrupted.

Most concert films align moviegoers with the audience, so we feel as if we were there, and "Soul" often does that with the help of several people who did attend. When Questlove shows them footage, their vivid responses make it seem like they were at the show yesterday. Even better, Questlove interviewed performers while they screened footage of themselves.

It's moving to watch Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis Jr. of the 5th Dimension, whose band was criticized for not being "Black enough," finally getting to do their first Harlem performance, in front of an overwhelmingly Black crowd of about 50,000. "We wanted our people to know what we were about," says McCoo, wiping away a tear. "We were so happy to be there."

But the most striking demonstration of Questlove's skill as a filmmaker is the "Precious Lord" scene, which takes us not into the audience's minds but the performers'. While Staples (whose contemporary interview is audio-only) says Jackson turned to her to say she needed Staples to start the song because she felt ill, Questlove shows us that happening. Then, as she discusses her nerves and her pride at a number she still calls her most powerful time on stage, we watch 1960s Staples nail the hymn while 2020s Staples helps us feel what it might be like to be possessed by one of the most striking vocal talents of the past century.

Questlove makes sure "Soul" captures the cultural significance of the concerts and he interrogates why this event is not as iconic as Woodstock (yet). The answer has to do with the skin color of the people on stage and in the audience but the movie, subtitled "... Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised," is another kind of answer, rescuing long-ignored footage and molding it into a stunning one to see.

Questlove has shaped "Summer of Soul" into a testament to Black excellence, artistry and perseverance.

Chris Hewitt • 612-673-4367

⋆⋆⋆½ out of four stars

Rating: PG-13 for smoking and drug references.

Theater: Wide release and Hulu.