Andra Day gives her all in The United States vs. Billie Holiday, and the legend’s music is respectfully presented throughout, but under Lee Daniels’ disorganized direction it’s at best a middling made-for-TV movie with a generous costume budget.

Hamstrung from the start by the unfortunate framing device of Billie being interviewed by campy radio host Reginald Lord Devine (Leslie Jordan), the film is further hampered by the dull, obvious dialogue of screenwriter Suzan-Lori Parks (Girl 6) and a weak supporting cast, namely a sleepy Garrett Hedlund as a stereotypical racist FBI agent.

Though Day exhibits decent chemistry with Trevante Rhodes (Moonlight), the parade of underdeveloped toxic male figures that predate and interfere with their true love haphazardly appear and disrupt any chance the film has at achieving anything resembling a flow.

Unconcerned with making sense, Daniels nevertheless comes the close to momentary greatness with an imaginative but confusing sequence that delves into Holiday’s psyche regarding her standout song, “Strange Fruit,” and why it’s important for her to perform it, despite the terrible consequences awaiting her if she does.

The burst of creativity arrives far too late in the taxing 130-minute runtime to save The United States vs. Billie Holiday, but suggests that Daniels remains a filmmaker with occasional flair who, had he been surrounded by more skilled collaborators, might have been the right person for the film after all.

Grade: C-minus. Not rated, but with adult language and themes, nudity, and violence. Available to stream via Hulu

(Photo: Takashi Seida)