“Beyond The Lights”
Relativity Media
In Theaters November 14th!
Great music, flashy lifestyles, suspense, drama, perfectly tailored
characters; it’s all here. Beyond The Lights goes above and beyond the
expectations that many will expect when it hits theaters this Friday,
November 14th. Gugu Mbatha-Raw and Nate Parker alone are enough reason to
dig into your pockets to pay for this Gina Prince-Bythewood (The Secret
Life of Bees and Love & Basketball) directed flick. But even putting the
lead actors aside, the film delivers a very good script, supporting cast
and a highly appropriate soundtrack (which is perfectly coupled with
accompanying scenes).
At first glance, some may think this is a 2014 take on the cult classic
film, The Bodyguard. But once you take in the first 20 minutes of the film
you will quickly see how different Beyond The Lights is from the Whitney
Houston & Kevin Costner love story. Gugu Mbatha-Raw plays the lead, Noni,
who seems to have it all as far as pop stars are concerned. She has a
perfectly executed music career from hit singles to features with hip-hop
artists including her boyfriend Kid Culprit (Machine Gun Kelly). Just when
you think Noni is on top of the world everything comes crashing down
including an attempted suicide. Noni’s fate is intervened by Kaz (Nate
Parker) during a time when her verbally abusive mother Macy (Minnie Driver)
is proving to be the stage-mom from hell.
From this point on, the movie brilliantly takes you on a journey as Noni
navigates herself back from the bottom to the top. She has been given a
second chance at life and the film explores what a person does once given
this opportunity.
The films soundtrack was a pleasant surprise, especially when you find out
that Gugu herself provided vocals to many of the tracks that she performs
in the film. Viewers are in for a special treat just in time for the
holidays as Beyond The Lights delivers on all counts and does not
disappoint. You will definitely find yourself smiling at the end of the
film and saying out loud “job well done.”
– JDot. (UrbanBridgez.com)
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