Beyond the Lights
Beyond the Lights
(2014)
A Review by Grant Kanigan
Directed by: Gina Prince-Bythewood
Written by: Gina Prince-Bythewood
Starring: Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Nate Parker,
Danny Glover, Minnie Driver
Rating: 14A
Release Date: November 14th, 2014
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| Danny Glover & Nate Parker in Beyond the Lights Photo by Suzanne Tenner - © 2013 Blackbird Productions, LLC. All Rights Reserved |
Known mainly for her standard but skillful adaptation of The Secret Life of Bees as well as the original Love and Basketball, Gina Prince-Bythewood's Beyond the Lights is her most realized work yet. We first meet singer/dancer Noni, (Gugu Mbatha-Raw), as a young girl in early 1990's London, England. At her mothers behest, the impressionable young girl enters a local talent competition and sings Nina Simone's "Blackbird" a cappella. Blowing the competition away, but only coming in second, the happy girl is crushed when her mother, Macy, is furious at the judges for giving first place to a less talented performer. This dualism, between passion and perfection; enjoyment and exhaustion becomes the driving point of the whole film. Pushed by her mother to superstardom, we once again visit young Noni, now in her early twenties, at the forefront of the american music scene. The demands of being an entertainer and exploiting herself, all by her mother's cruel hands, push Noni over the edge. Drunken and lonely after a night of partying, Noni attempts to kill herself by jumping from the balcony of a hotel complex. It's only when young police officer Kaz, (Nate Parker), catches the falling star that she's saved from her directionless existence, when he grabs her hand, pulls her up, looks in her eyes and remarks "I see you."
In less talented hands, and especially with less talented actors, such scenery and lines might come off as cheesy and insincere. Yet, with Parker and Mbatha-Raw in front, Beyond the Lights is spellbinding. The two characters are relatively successful in their careers - she an up and coming entertainer with a buzzed about album soon to be released, and him a police officer, well on his way to become a career politician. Yet, their career trajectories are far from what they envision their own lives to be. Both are passionate about their jobs; Noni is extremely passionate when she sings, and when she sings soulful music, fully inhabits her performance. Kaz merely wants to do the right thing; his few moments of true clarity come when he risks his life to save others. Yet, all of those around both of them want so much more from their kin. Noni's mother is willing to sexually exploit her own daughter in the name of success, and Kaz's father, (Danny Glover), is willing to force his son to ignore his principles in the name of political success. It's only through their growing relationship that Kaz and Noni can truly focus on who they really are, through selflessly giving themselves to one another.
Beyond the Lights has a multitude of interesting things to say about relationships both platonic and romantic, as well as the entertainment industry. We see the merits and disadvantages of getting ahead in the music industry, the soullessness of sexual exploitation, the ethically atrocious nature of political fundraising, a struggle to define what it means to be black in America, and the give and takes within relationships. The amount the film invests in the self discovery of Noni and the caring nature of Kaz is intense and explosive. Through their trials and tribulations, it becomes that their relationship is so much more than just physical or between themselves. They have people relying on their very existence. Overall, it's a fantastic script illuminated by two wonderfully talented leads.
The only problem Beyond the Lights is its insistence on adhering to the hollywood formula of romantic dramas. For a film that subverts the genre in such an intelligent fashion all the way through, it falls off the rails when it nears its end. If the film had ended in tragedy, à la Gone With the Wind's Rhett telling Scarlett off by uttering, "Frankly my dear, I don't give a damn," it would have been a perfect, new age classic, and a Gone with the Wind for the current generation. Alas, the last twenty minutes of the film settles for familiar territory, and a completely predictable, neat and tidy ending. For a film with so much heart, so much promise, and utter devotion it's a shame
Prince-Bythewood didn't go for the cinematic jugular. Still, with a exuberant, soulful sountrack, (which was nominated for an Oscar), a generally intelligent, mature script, and two brilliant performances, Beyond the Lights is the best romantic drama of 2014.
Grant's Rating: 4.5/5
Nate Parker in Beyond the Lights clip: "Actions Speak Louder than Words"
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