Quincy

Rashida Jones and co-director Alan Hicks have filmed a celebration of the life of an extraordinary talent with an illustrious musical history and an intriguing personal life. And Quincy is without question a celebration. The man's struggles -- with a fraught childhood and a less-than-stable personal life in his adult years -- are reflected upon, but not explored in-depth. It's the filmmakers' choice, as is having Jones himself do the narration. It's a daughter's prerogative to help establish her father's substantial legacy. Jones and Hicks clearly give Quincy Jones his due. The many historical moments -- his partnerships with other musical icons, earliest jobs with Lionel Hampton, Count Basie, and others, his stunning participation in film scoring and producing (The Wiz,  The Color Purple) -- are film highlights. 

Running a little over two hours, the film feels long at times, and the countless moves from the present to the past and back again aren't always seamless. Still, Quincy is a welcome tribute to a man whose work ethic is almost as astonishing as his talent, and whose efforts on behalf of others deserve recognition.