This quality – of portraying Franklin as fallible while paying tribute to the spiritual quality of her performances – is Respect’s greatest success.

The film touches upon the major moments of Franklin's life, but does not coalesce into a fulfilling narrative.

The film soars whenever the music takes over, as it does for large chunks of the action. But the backstage story is less exhilarating. Franklin had a life as big as her personality.

There is so much information that the depth of character is lost, hitting all the right notes but losing the flair of its subject.