Supremes at Earl’s All-You-Can-Eat: Great Performers, Flawed Writing

Cee Marcellus and Tina Mabry’s The Supremes at Earl’s All-You-Can-Eat screenplay, with Mabry directing, kicks off on a compelling note showcasing the day protagonists Odette (Kyanna Simone), Clarice (Abigail Achiri), and Barbara Jean (Tati Gabrielle) forge their lifelong friendship as teenagers. Following her mother’s passing, Odette, accompanied by a hesitant Clarice, visits Barbara Jean’s house to bring her a meal. Inside, they discover Barbara Jean’s father is an abusive drunk. Odette, self-described as a “bold woman with a big mouth,” doesn’t sit quietly in the face of Barbara Jean’s domestic turmoil.

Without hesitation, Odette springs into action, removing her dress to avoid staining it with blood, and prepares to fight Barbara Jean’s father. Her unexpected boldness perplexes him enough that he leaves the room. Following this incident, Clarice’s initial aloofness dissolves. She willingly supports Odette in inviting Barbara Jean to join them at Earl’s All-You-Can-Eat diner. This sequence vividly explains why the trio becomes inseparable friends. Their distinct personalities complement one another, with Odette’s outspokenness captivating Barbara Jean and Clarice’s cautious nature harmonizing with Barbara Jean’s emotional openness.

Establishing this deep connection between the trio on-screen lays a strong emotional foundation for the rest of the film, based on Edward Kelsey Moore’s novel of the same name. The majority of the storyline shifts to 1998, focusing on the now-grown-up “Supremes”—Odette (Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor), Clarice (Uzo Aduba), and Barbara Jean (Sanaa Lathan)—who are grappling with various challenges.

Clarice’s marriage to Richmond (Russell Hornsby) is teetering due to his questionable loyalty. Odette is dealing with hot flashes that hint at a more serious health issue. Barbara Jean is contending with alcoholism and psychological torment. Despite their profound bond, these crises threaten to dissolve their friendship.

With echoes of The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants and 80s/90s weepies like Steel Magnolias and Fried Green Tomatoes, The Supremes at Earl’s All-You-Can-Eat shines when it focuses on the bond between its three leads. Both the teenage and middle-aged actors portraying the trio share believable chemistry. Regardless of the era depicted, their interactions feel genuine and lived-in. Kara Lindstrom’s production design brings the diner to life as a warm, inviting setting for the Supremes’ significant conversations, with bright blue booth cushions and cozy ambient lighting enhancing its homey atmosphere.

However, as the film progresses, the script succumbs to a “tell, don’t show” approach. Initially, the screenplay skillfully demonstrates why the leading characters are so close and showcases Odette’s assertiveness. Over time, though, Odette’s voice-over narration becomes overused, conveying key plot points and character developments instead of showing them.

In a pivotal third-act scene, Odette admonishes Barbara Jean for letting alcoholism become such an issue that she forgot to pick her up from an important doctor’s appointment. This development is significant but shouldn’t be confined to dialogue alone. Witnessing the event would add weight to Odette’s frustration and Barbara Jean’s issues. Relaying it through a brief comment undermines its impact.

Another problematic aspect is the unrelenting stream of hardships that the characters face, particularly Barbara Jean. While emotional struggles are expected, the script overloads the narrative with too many psychological challenges in quick succession. It touches on hate crimes, family losses, and severe health issues like bullets from a machine gun, favoring quantity over quality and leaving the characters somewhat adrift.

The Supremes at Earl’s All-You-Can-Eat brings to mind Michael Showalter’s Spoiler Alert, which mistakenly thought constant emotional turmoil would grant the film gravitas. Instead, it left the narrative feeling overcrowded, a flaw also present in Mabry’s directorial execution. The script’s rapid delivery of dramatic events is undermined further by uninspired visual choices from Mabry and cinematographer Sean McElwee. Unlike classic melodramas, which matched intense emotional moments with striking visuals, this film’s stiff camerawork and editing fall short.

The saving grace of the movie lies in its lead performances. Ellis-Taylor, Aduba, and Lathan offer compelling portrayals. Lathan, especially, adds more depth to Barbara Jean than the script provides, using nuanced body language and soft-spoken delivery to convey her character’s humanity. Aduba captivates whenever she’s on screen, and Ellis-Taylor performs admirably despite delivering some clichéd lines of narration.

Watching these three talented actors, along with the gifted young performers in flashbacks, is engaging. Scenes focusing on the Supremes’ simple interactions, like Barbara Jean giving Odette a haircut, are beautifully executed thanks to stellar performances and warm cinematography. The Supremes at Earl’s All-You-Can-Eat struggles to fully deliver as a drama about overcoming adversity. More sequences showing Odette, Clarice, and Barbara Jean bonding at Earl’s might have enhanced this film, which falters with its heavy-handed plot twists and revelations.