REEL CRITICS:

Chess Records was one of the first successful labels to help create and feature black musicians. Their signed stars included legendary artists like Chuck Berry, Muddy Waters, Howling Wolf and Etta James. Their rhythm and blues sound was the real basis for the rock ‘n’ roll hits that propelled Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis and countless others to major stardom in pop music.

“Cadillac Records” is the newly released film that provides a docudrama version of the events behind the scenes of this American tale. Fine acting and great musical numbers are the hallmarks of this effort. Beyoncé Knowles portrays troubled diva Etta James with verve and style. Adrien Brody plays the conflicted businessman who runs the company. Jeffrey Wright is razor sharp and steals the show as Muddy Waters.

But the personal stories of these famous stars are presented in soap opera fashion. It’s no secret that musicians drink and do drugs and mess up their family lives. The intimate details of their failures have all been seen before in other films. But the bigger story of their true impact on our national culture gives this movie its redeeming social value.

‘Cadillac Records’ features great ensemble work

This film is a fact-based tale of the volatile, thrilling days of Chicago blues and of Chess Records, a small record company of the ’40s and ’50s that helped guide the evolution of “race music” into classic R&B; and rock ‘n’ roll.

“Cadillac Records” is worth seeing for the richness of the music alone, but it’s also a showcase for Jeffrey Wright as Muddy Waters, Adrien Brody as Leonard Chessman, Mos Def as Chuck Berry and especially Beyoncé Knowles as Etta James.

Their stories are richly woven into a fascinating celebration of American music that is still startling for its raw power.

‘Milk’ a compelling story of human rights

Another relevant slice of history is “Milk,” featuring an amazing performance by Sean Penn in the title role.

Harvey Milk moved from New York to San Francisco with his lover, Steve (James Franco), in the early ’70s and opened a business in the Castro district of San Francisco.

The Castro soon became a thriving, predominantly gay community in the days before “gay pride” and before AIDS.

Penn is a wonder, playing the activist as disarmingly playful yet serious, flirty yet a determined facilitator in getting support from different groups for a common goal.

Seniors, teamsters, gays, minorities — Milk had a knack for eliciting compromise and teamwork within the current political framework that made him a pioneer, especially in the area of human rights.

Even though we know Milk’s tragic fate (and that of Mayor George Moscone) at the hands of Dan White (Josh Brolin), the film creates suspense and really gives us someone to root for — and mourn.

JOHN DEPKO is a Costa Mesa resident and a senior investigator for the Orange County public defender’s office. SUSANNE PEREZ lives in Costa Mesa and is an executive assistant for a financial services company.