It features an ensemble cast including Terrence Howard, Paula Jai Parker, Paula Patton (who is no relation to Big Boi whose real name is Antwan Patton), Cicely Tyson, Ben Vereen, Patti LaBelle, Ving Rhames, Macy Gray, Faizon Love, Bruce Bruce, Malinda Williams, Jackie Long and Bill Nunn.

In 1935, Percival works at his father Percy Senior's morgue during the day and plays piano at a local club called Church at night.

On a night Rooster is performing, gangsters Spats, Trumpy, Ace, and Rose attend to talk about a deal they have with the club.

When they hear people coming into the building, Rose jumps out of the car, gets dressed, and confronts Spats, Trumpy and Ace, who have just arrived.

One day, as Rooster is making his rounds to pick up hooch from GW, he sees a car on the road that seems to be stuck.

Rooster walks into the abandoned house of the two bootleggers and sees that Trumpy's henchmen have beaten up GW and killed his partner.

A grieving Percival prepares Angel for her burial, dressing her in a wedding gown and slipping a ring on her finger.

The hip hop, funk, and soul stylings of the song score are intentionally anachronistic, a choice made to complement the film being set in 1935.

The website's critics consensus reads: "Idlewild has some truly breathtaking moments, but borrows too heavily from other similar movies, and the disjointed script is not worthy of talents involved.

[3] Writing for Film Journal International, Frank Lovece wrote "Seemingly meant as an African-American Moulin Rouge, this visual blast of an homage to classic Hollywood musicals settles in as an odd hybrid, neither fish nor fowl.

[4] Teresa Wiltz of The Washington Post likewise acknowledged director Bryan Barber's inventiveness, saying that, "For all its shortcomings, Idlewild also has something that few films can pull off: Moments of such pure cinematic fabulousness, breathtaking dance sequences and idiosyncratic flourishes that we are more than willing to forgive it for all its sins".