My one biggest takeaway from this movie is that Gugu Mbatha Raw is one absolutely amazing actor. She is nothing less than a powerhouse and is definitely worthy of being a household name. This is two performances back to back that have blown me away. Earlier in the year she play the title role in the fantastic movie Belle and now she plays Noni, an up and coming pop star whose album is about to drop which would bring her more fame than she's ever known. Gina Prince-Bythewood, the woman behind the classic Love & Basketball competently directs this love story, deftly navigating the pop world with a sense of realism and the world of an ambitious police officer named Kaz played by Nate Parker, who is transitioning himself as deftly as he can into the world of Los Angeles politics. The film also stars Danny Glover as Kaz' dad Captain Nicol, Isaac Keys as Jonas, Aml Ameen as Trey, and Minnie Driver as Macy Jean. It's an impressive cast and Minnie and Gugu are perfect as mother and daughter, something I could have never imagined in a million years.
My one big issue with BTL (and the fact that I'm only giving it three buckets and not four) was everything just happened SO FAST! We got no back story on Kaz and how he got the "guard the superstars door" gig. We get no reason why Noni wants to commit suicide, there is no catalyst for such a decision. One minute she's just won her first major award and is signing autographs and the next she's on her hotel rooms balcony with nothing in-between those moments except adoring, admiring fans. Kaz saves her life and is then forced to lie to the press about what really happened. There's friction between the two and feeling bad about the way he treated her, Kaz wants to apologize and they reconcile and that's where Beyond The Lights get's cliche and goes off the rails. Noni woos Kaz because she not only feels safe around him but because she believes he's the first person in a host of people that actually sees that she's broken. She reveals to him her innermost desires and dreams and when something occurs at another awards show, the two run off together leaving everything behind.
Gina brings the movie back on the rails in the third act with Gugu doing an amazing rendition of Nina Simone's Blackbird (and for the record, if that's really Gugu singing, someone should sign her to a recording contract like...NOW). I got frustrated with the cinematography by the talented Tami Reiker. Everything seemed like a close-up or a step too late in following the action. The original songs were impressive but I don't recall the score by the amazing Mark Isham at all. None of those two things distracted from my enjoyment of the movie and while it's not built for a sequel or set up as a franchise, these are two characters I wouldn't mind revisiting. I highly recommend Beyond The Lights, it may just surprise you, and I'll see you at the theater.
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