Grade: C+
When I think of “Beyond the Lights,” I think of Whitney Houston — and not in a good way.
“Beyond the Lights” tells the story of a Rihanna-esque singer Noni Jean, played by Gugu Mbatha-Raw, who buckles under the pressures of fame and attempts to take her own life, but is saved by police officer Kaz Nicol, played by Nate Parker .
With Kaz’s help, Noni must learn to overcome her overbearing mother (Minnie Driver) and find her “true voice.”
With a majority of the movie focusing on the daily life of a pop star, the story doesn’t really pick up until well into the first hour of the movie.
This film is all too similar to 1992’s “The Bodyguard,” starring Whitney Houston and Kevin Costner complete with a heartfelt finale song dedicated to loss and love.
Written and directed by Gina Prince-Blythewood, “Beyond the Lights” plays like a Lifetime Network movie working with a Hollywood budget.
The love story behind Kax and Noni is rocky and inconsistent, as their relationship is rushed and unrealistic.
Parker’s Officer Nicol started out as a character with the potential to become a major factor in the story. However, by the film’s end, the cop with a promising career is reduced to a love interest that only serves to promote Noni’s self-journey.
One saving grace to this film is Minnie Driver’s performance as Macy Jean. Effectively embracing the meaning of “mom-ager,” Driver brings a glimmer of freshness to this otherwise lackluster ensemble and complements Mbatha-Raw’s performance as her troubled, emotionally unstable daughter.
Another highlight of the movie is the music itself, with most of its soundtrack being original songs for the film performed by Mbatha-Raw as her character Noni, including “Masterpiece,” a song that fits in with most popular hip hop music heard on the radio with a catchy beat that will most likely end up stuck in your head after the film ends.
While the story may keep some viewers occupied for the film’s nearly two-hour duration, the plot holes are hard to ignore, turning a potentially heartfelt story into a fictionalized adaptation of the Miley Cyrus’ life story told in reverse.
Overall, come for the music and stay for Minnie Driver — then do yourself a favor and go home and watch Houston’s “The Bodyguard” instead.
