The Richard Penniman (better known as Little Richard) depicted in this 2000 film was a flamboyant, larger-than-life character, not to mention a vital figure in pop music history--perhaps even "the architect of rock & roll," as he"s called here. The fact that both of those portraits are accurate is a tribute to the makers of this TV movie, especially director Robert Townsend (Hollywood Shuffle) and Leon in the title role (Little Richard himself was an executive producer). Sure, it"s a bit heavy on the melodrama, especially Richard"s volatile relationship with his demanding father, and light on the music ("Tutti Frutti," "Lucille," and Richard"s other hits are heard, with Leon lip-syncing to the original recordings, but there"s no clue as to how Richard actually forged his style), but hey, that"s TV for you. By and large, Little Richard is an entertaining ride, even without any DVD bonus material. --Sam Graham