The Supremes at Earl's All-You-Can-Eat is a 2024 American drama film directed by Tina Mabry and written by Mabry and Cee Marcellus. It is based on the 2013 novel of the same name by Edward Kelsey Moore. The film stars Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, Sanaa Lathan, Uzo Aduba, Mekhi Phifer, Julian McMahon, Vondie Curtis-Hall, and Russell Hornsby. This was McMahonâÂÂs final film role before his death in 2025.
The Supremes at Earl's All-You-Can-Eat premiered at the Martha's Vineyard African American Film Festival<nowiki/>on August 7, 2024, and was released by Hulu on August 23, 2024.
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 of Edward Kelsey Moore's novel The Supremes at Earl's All-You-Can-Eat was in development, which was to be directed by Tina Mabry, who also co-wrote the screenplay with Gina Prince-Bythewood. Cee Marcellus would eventually be credited on the film's screenplay with Mabry. It was a co-production of Searchlight Pictures and Temple Hill Entertainment. It was announced in July 2022 that Uzo Aduba, Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor and Sanaa Lathan were cast to star in the film. In September, Russell Hornsby was added to the cast, with Mekhi Phifer joining the follow month. In October 2022, Kyanna Simone, Tati Gabrielle and Abigail Achiri joined the cast.
Filming began on October 12, 2022, in Wilmington, North Carolina. Production ran until mid-November. It wrapped up by November 11, 2022, with Dijon Means, Xavier Mills, Cleveland Berto, Jason Turner and Ryan Paynter having joined the cast.
The Supremes at Earl's All-You-Can-Eat premiered on August 7, 2024 at the Martha's Vineyard African American Film Festival. The film was released on Hulu in the United States on August 23, 2024. Internationally, it was released on Disney+.
Luminate, which measures streaming performance in the U.S. by analyzing viewership data, audience engagement metrics, and content reach across various platforms, calculated that The Supremes at Earl's All-You-Can-Eat was the fifth most-streamed original movie during the week of August 12âÂÂ23, with 139.2 million minutes of watch time. 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. The Supremes at Earl's All-You-Can-Eat ranked No. 13 on Hulu's "Top 15 Today" listâÂÂa daily updated list of the platform's most-watched titlesâÂÂon September 5, 2024.
Lovia Gyarkye of The Hollywood Reporter said MabryâÂÂs adaptation of MooreâÂÂs 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. Amy Nicholson of The New York Times said The Supremes at EarlâÂÂs 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.
Robert Daniels of RogerEbert.com said that the film grabs attention towards its eye-catching plot details and performances, but pushes audiences away due to its ludicrous plot points. Lisa Kennedy of Variety added that the film had moments of minor magic owing to the friendship dynamic. Kate Erbland of IndieWire added that the adult cast members anchor the film through their performances. Radheyan Simonpillai of The Guardian criticised that the erratic storytelling, like a bunch of detailed sketches and monologues, making the film never intended to be how it shaped. She, however, complimented the performances despite the narrative flaws. B. Panther of Paste added that despite the exceptional talent and promising story about friendship through adversity, The Supremes at EarlâÂÂs All-You-Can-Eat seems destined to be lost to the platform's over-extended menu of lukewarm film library and overlooked in favor of more nourishing and enjoyable food.