★★★★☆ Tales of impossible love and the trappings of fame and fortune have long been staples of Hollywood cinema. However, to accuse Gina Prince-Bythewood's Beyond the Lights (2014), a romantic melodrama about the human price of stardom, of being derivative would be to ignore the significance of its message. A rebuke to the misogyny of the music industry, Prince-Bythewood's latest is a quietly radical appropriation of mainstream narratives that aims to challenge the status quo. A brief Brixton-set prologue establishes the strained relationship between Noni (played in her youth by India Jean-Jacques) and her competitive mother, Macy Jane (Minnie Driver).
- 6/29/2015
- by CineVue UK
- CineVue
There are two films bursting to break out of Beyond the Lights, a soapy showbiz drama from Love & Basketball director Gina Prince-Bythewood. One of them is a sharply observed examination of sexualized female identity in popular music and how its effects are not just cultural, but can inflict damage on the woman baring herself to the masses. The other is romantic formula, about a young, miserable, vulnerable woman falling hopelessly in love with a chiseled, muscular, protective man. The cultural context of the former gives a bit of cutting commentary, but it cannot offset the schmaltzy dialogue and dullness of the latter romance. What could have been a revealing, incisive look at the price of fame turns into a story filled with longing stares, beautifully toned skin and groan-worthy dialogue.
Beyond the Lights begins by juxtaposing two different award ceremonies. The first is a youth talent show in South London.
Beyond the Lights begins by juxtaposing two different award ceremonies. The first is a youth talent show in South London.
- 11/13/2014
- by Jordan Adler
- We Got This Covered
Chicago – In the latest HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: Film, we have 40 pairs of advance-screening movie passes up for grabs to the new drama “Beyond the Lights” starring Gugu Mbatha-Raw (“Belle”) from the writer and director of “Love & Basketball”!
“Beyond the Lights,” which opens on Nov. 14, 2014 and is rated “PG-13,” also stars Nate Parker, Minnie Driver, Danny Glover, Darryl Stephens, Richard Colson Baker, Elaine Tan, Isaac Keys, Tyler Christopher, Aisha Hinds and India Jean-Jacques from writer and director Gina Prince-Bythewood.
To win your free “Beyond the Lights” passes courtesy of HollywoodChicago.com, just get interactive with our social media widget below. That’s it! This screening is on Wednesday, Nov. 12, 2014 at 7 p.m. in downtown Chicago. The more social actions you complete, the more points you score and the higher yours odds of winning! Completing these social actions only increases your odds of winning; this doesn’t intensify your competition!
Note: You...
“Beyond the Lights,” which opens on Nov. 14, 2014 and is rated “PG-13,” also stars Nate Parker, Minnie Driver, Danny Glover, Darryl Stephens, Richard Colson Baker, Elaine Tan, Isaac Keys, Tyler Christopher, Aisha Hinds and India Jean-Jacques from writer and director Gina Prince-Bythewood.
To win your free “Beyond the Lights” passes courtesy of HollywoodChicago.com, just get interactive with our social media widget below. That’s it! This screening is on Wednesday, Nov. 12, 2014 at 7 p.m. in downtown Chicago. The more social actions you complete, the more points you score and the higher yours odds of winning! Completing these social actions only increases your odds of winning; this doesn’t intensify your competition!
Note: You...
- 11/11/2014
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
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