I am a fan of the music, but never knew much of his life which is told as a flashback which divided itself into two parts: the missing years and a flashback to when he was on top of his game. We see his fall due his marriage emulating that of Ike and Tina Turner. Miles was a big boxing fan with a hip disease and love of cocaine. The flashbacks were easy to follow, we have the later " "fro" period preceded by a more clean cut period. The viewer needs to catch on fast because it flashes back and forth at irregular intervals, sometimes just a matter of seconds as we watch him attempt to steal his music back for much of the film.The film was less of a biopic and one designed to capture the essence of Davis, his hectic unorganized life juxtaposed by his overly organized music. That it did, although I wish they had more of his music.Guide: F-word, sex, and nudity.

The movie is very well played and well directed by Don Cheadle as it presents a heart broken Miles Davis getting back to music after five years of wallowing in his own grief. It is not about the early days, it is not about jazz, it is about the person, as seen from the perspective of a douchy Rolling Stones reporter who is hungry enough to follow and get under Miles' skin.I liked the film composition wise. It felt trippy and jazzy and true to the idea of doing it differently. I didn't enjoy the film too much, though. It may have to do with me not liking jazz, or actually not feeling any empathy for any of the characters.Bottom line: more The End of the Tour than Whiplash, it wasn't my kind of film, but I really liked the way is was constructed. Cheadle made it clear that he is a talented director, as well as actor, and McGregor's contribution really sweetened the deal. You learn more about the cutthroat music industry in the late 70's than about music, though.

A jazzman's movie. Miles Ahead is a touching tribute to one of history's greatest jazz musicians. Don Cheadle is mesmerizing as Miles Davis. The film itself has all the fluidity and rhythm of a real Miles Davis piece. While Davis riffed on his horn, Cheadle riffs on the cutting room floor. We skip through time, as we discover Miles in his heyday, and his hiatus. Because this is such a rough editing technique to pull of, some of the film seems a bit clunky. Certain story lines don't always coincide with the main story itself. To be honest, I enjoyed Mile's comeback story a lot better than I liked the story of his long-lost love. The journey to get the tape back was really funny, faced paced and loose. Compared to films such as Get on Up, and Ray, Miles Ahead looks shallow. But the film does shine, and when it does, it shines brightly.

It's the late 70's. Jazz musician Miles Davis (Don Cheadle) has stopped publishing new works. He is constantly taking drugs, filled with regrets, and living alone. Reporter Dave Braden (Ewan McGregor) forces his way into his home and eventually befriends him. Mile's record producer steals his tape and he sets off to get it back with a gun. There are also flashbacks of earlier days when Miles is married to Frances Taylor. He often cheated on her as their marriage deteriorated.Don Cheadle took the jazz music to heart. This is a rambling story that takes some unusual turns. The flashbacks are more traditional. Cheadle delivers a great performance as usual. Its freeflowing style does feel aimless for the first half. It's hard to feel the flow or the direction. It does turn into a weird thriller after the tape gets stolen. It's an interesting idea to change up the traditional biopic but I don't find it successful.