| The Supremes at Earl's All-You-Can-Eat | |
|---|---|
 Release poster | |
| Directed by | Tina Mabry |
| Screenplay by |
|
| Based on | The Supremes at Earl's All-You-Can-Eat by Edward Kelsey Moore |
| Produced by |
|
| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Sean McElwee |
| Edited by | Tariq Anwar |
| Music by | Kathryn Bostic |
Production company | |
| Distributed by | Searchlight Pictures |
Release dates |
|
Running time | 124 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $23 million[1] |
The Supremes at Earl's All-You-Can-Eat is a 2024 Americandrama film directed byTina Mabry and written by Mabry and Cee Marcellus.[2] It is based on the 2013 novel of the same name by Edward Kelsey Moore.[3] The movie starsAunjanue Ellis-Taylor,Sanaa Lathan,Uzo Aduba,Mekhi Phifer,Julian McMahon,Vondie Curtis-Hall, andRussell Hornsby. This was McMahon’s final film role before his death in 2025.
The film was released onHulu in the United States bySearchlight Pictures on August 23, 2024.[4][5]
Three best friends who call themselves "The Supremes" have experienced life together through the good and bad, and are now finding their friendship tested.
In December 2020, an adaptation ofEdward Kelsey Moore's novelThe Supremes at Earl's All-You-Can-Eat was in development, which was to be directed byTina Mabry, who also co-wrote the screenplay withGina Prince-Bythewood. Cee Marcellus would eventually be credited on the film's screenplay with Mabry. It was a co-production ofSearchlight Pictures andTemple Hill Entertainment.[6] It was announced in July 2022 thatUzo Aduba,Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor andSanaa Lathan were cast to star in the film.[7] In September,Russell Hornsby was added to the cast,[8] withMekhi Phifer joining the follow month.[9] In October 2022, Kyanna Simone,Tati Gabrielle and Abigail Achiri joined the cast.[10]
Filming began on October 12, 2022, inWilmington, North Carolina.[11] Production ran until mid-November.[12] It wrapped up by November 11, 2022, with Dijon Means, Xavier Mills, Cleveland Berto, Jason Turner and Ryan Paynter having joined the cast.[13]
The Supremes at Earl's All-You-Can-Eat premiered on August 7, 2024 at theMartha's Vineyard African American Film Festival.[14] The film was released onHulu in the United States on August 23, 2024.[15] Internationally, it was released onDisney+.[16]
Luminate, which measures streaming performance in the U.S. by analyzing viewership data, audience engagement metrics, and content reach across various platforms, calculated thatThe Supremes at Earl's All-You-Can-Eat was the fifth most-streamed original movie during the week of August 12–23, with 139.2 million minutes of watch time.[17]JustWatch, a guide to streaming content with access to data from more than 40 million users around the world, estimated that it was the fifth most-streamed film in the U.S. from August 26 to September 1.[18]TheSupremes at Earl's All-You-Can-Eat ranked No. 13 onHulu's "Top 15 Today" list—a daily updated list of the platform's most-watched titles—on September 5, 2024.[19]
On thereview aggregator websiteRotten Tomatoes, 65% of 26 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 5.8/10.[20]Metacritic, which uses aweighted average, assigned the film a score of 55 out of 100, based on 9 critics, indicating "mixed or average" reviews.[21] Lovia Gyarkye ofThe Hollywood Reporter said Mabry’s adaptation of Moore’s book effectively portrays deep friendships among older Black women, focusing on their reflections following the death of a patriarchal figure. Gyarkye found the film notable for its tender handling of the characters' personal and romantic struggles, with strong performances from the cast adding depth to its sentimental narrative.[22] Amy Nicholson ofThe New York Times saidThe Supremes at Earl’s All-You-Can-Eat offers a melodramatic array of themes, including adultery, alcoholism, and murder, presented with a mix of humor and pathos. Nicholson stated that the film is engaging due to its vibrant portrayal of three friends, strong performances by the cast, and the film's indulgent, if occasionally over-the-top, narrative style.[23]
| Award | Date of ceremony | Category | Nominee(s) | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hollywood Music In Media Awards | November 20, 2024 | Original Score – TV/Streamed Movie | Kathryn Bostic | Won | [24] |
