Abused as a child and relegated to life in a brothel, a young woman finds refuge and success as a nightclub singer while taking solace in alcohol and narcotics. Based on the life of Billie Holliday, Lady Sings the Blues doesn't avoid the cliches and pitfalls of its musical biopic genre but Ross is pure and powerful in an exceptional starring performance in addition to surprising turns from Billy Dee Williams and Richard Pryor.
*** out of ****
