7/10

Sometimes those of us sitting on the highest of mountains have the furthest to fall before hitting rock bottom. As is such in the life of a famous pop star named Noni (Guga Mbatha-Raw), a musician just about to hit it big with her first album when she has had enough being something that she isn’t underneath the hair extensions and makeup. She meets Kaz (Nate Parker), a young cop and aspiring politician who’s been assigned to her detail. Drawn to each other, Noni and Kaz fall fast and hard, despite the protests of those around them who urge them to put their career ambitions ahead of their romance. But it is ultimately Kaz’s love that gives Noni the courage to find her own voice and break free to become the artist she was always wanted to be. I enjoyed this movie surprisingly more than i thought i would. The script is very plain and filled with some genre cliches that almost slips this film back into the mediocre pile, but it’s the performances of the two main characters that gives the movie the wings to fly over some dangering problems in that script. Mbatha-Raw impressed me earlier this year in “Belle”, and she plays Noni equally as impressive. Make no mistake that Raw IS this character, and has clearly done her homework when it comes to the way pop stars act in front of the camera. Everything from her dance choreography, to her sexual magnetism, to the style of her wardrobe is done to relate to many of today’s pop stars. I saw Rihanna and Beyonce mostly in this character, but that is up for debate depending on the viewers opinions. What is great about her transformation throughout this film is that it’s not just the clothes and the hair, it’s everything about Noni to get her back to the little girl she was when we first saw her during the film’s opening scene. It’s impressively shot, and we feel like a parent that is seeing their daughter for the first time in a long time. The music was also very well done with a mix between hip hop and unplugged folk singer style. If that sounds like two genres that don’t mix, it somehow is pulled off very well in this film. Early in her career, Noni is dating a major rap artist (Played by Machine Gun Kelly), and it’s during this time where it feels like Director and writer Gina Prince-Bythewood is giving a commentary on today’s musical starlets and the prices they pay to get to the top. Many female singers are treated like strippers at awards shows and concerts that the musical talent falls to second in level of importance. “Beyond The Lights” does a great job at spotlighting this problem. The film doesn’t have too many problems outside of the minor cliches in the script, but there were some things that bothered me. First of all, short and sweet, Machine Gun Kelly CANNOT act. I know the guy has his fans out there, but he is essentially playing himself in the movie, and the lights he is cast under doesn’t do him any favors to change his image for old school hip hop fans like myself. The only other problem was that the film was a little too long clocking in at 111 minutes. I felt like there is a lot of scenes leading into the third act that could’ve easily been trimmed to give this a smooth transitional 1 hour and 40 minute run time. The film doesn’t drag too much as a result, but it ended right before the viewer started feeling that run time. These problems aren’t a major deal though, as the on screen chemistry between Raw and Parker is believable as both bring out the best in the other. Kaz saves her life, but we never feel like he is done over the top with a “Prince Charming” kind of feel. He is just an everyday hero whose life changed when he reached his arm out over that balcony. You cheer for these two throughout the movie because of the magic they bring to their characters. There is something that just cannot be explained when you see two characters perfectly cast for their roles, and that is the case here. It was also nice to see supporting roles by Minnie Driver and Danny Glover. Driver in particular has been out of the limelight for a while, but she played the mother of Noni very well. She drives her daughter almost to the point of death, but there is a caring side somewhere under there that even the audience hates to admit. I recommend this movie as a matinee movie. I do think it’s a good date movie, but i wouldn’t recommend it full price at the same time. If you have to see it in theaters, check it out before the price goes up for the night, otherwise just wait till DVD. “Beyond The Lights” is romantic, patient, and real. Three things that are rarely together in any romantic tear jerker in 2014. It’s often to get one or two but never all three, and that is where this movie succeeds as being just too charming to not enjoy.