Lena Waite TV/Movie projects are usually well constructed with exceptional direction, timing and great dialogue but this movie takes the viewer into several sporadic directions down a rabbit hole.
50 Reviews
Meh
cclogan-9230510 July 2022
Anyone who says this isn't a Whitney esq bio clearly is unaware of the Whitney story out of the mainstream. It feels like Lena was trying to attempt a quentin tarantino thing ... like he did with Once upon a time in Hollywood, giving us a truthful story with a fictional twist.
I can also understand a viewers aversion to the no singing approach. Which again was a stylistic choice, in a way to show us other singers and the culture of the time and how that in tow was her voice. The influences.
And the direction has a theatrical theme but never goes deep enough into the characters to ever engage with them, feel them and therefor care for them.
But what I struggled with most is... how is this from the same writer that gave us Queen and Slim!!!!!
I can also understand a viewers aversion to the no singing approach. Which again was a stylistic choice, in a way to show us other singers and the culture of the time and how that in tow was her voice. The influences.
And the direction has a theatrical theme but never goes deep enough into the characters to ever engage with them, feel them and therefor care for them.
But what I struggled with most is... how is this from the same writer that gave us Queen and Slim!!!!!
He will guide me all the way
nogodnomasters10 July 2022
Warning: Spoilers
This is a fictional story inspired by Whitney Houston. Beauty (Gracie Marie Bradley) is raised in a religious household and she had a girlfriend (Aleyse Shannon) not loved by anyone else in her family. We see the conflict this causes in her life both personally and professionally. The film is disingenuous. We never get to hear Beauty sing one note. What was up with that?
Guide: F-word. No sex or nudity.
Guide: F-word. No sex or nudity.
Waste of time and talent
CJXzoic197030 June 2022
What is a music film about a singer where the principal character NEVER SINGS? Very sporadic, choppy, misdirected piece that never fully invests in the characters, no development of any kind, no idea of the trials and tribulations that made her what built up. A bunch of ra ra hype with absolutely no hype. What was the point? Where did this all come from? The saddest thing is the comparisons with Whitney Houstons story, the tight Christian Family, a hidden addiction problem, a secret lesbian affair, an eventual bad boy intervention. Waste of Giancarlo, Nicey, Sharon, the young talent smh. When there are so many great scripts and talent not cultivated in the movie industry yet waste of films like this can be greenlighted? There's a mad problem!
This movie goes nowhere!
ashleyjohnson-906251 July 2022
Warning: Spoilers
An hour and a half of nothing. There are so many build ups that fall into nothing. Climaxes that just leave you completely disappointed. There were so many moments that I thought something dramatic and life altering would happen for Beauty besides her having to decide to sign the contract but no. Nothing. What happened to her father and brother trying to get rid of Jas? What about the drug addiction or whatever that was? Why did they introduce this random neighbor into her life for all of a minute and then she invites him to a huge gig that could further her career and then just leave it there? Honestly the thing that most bothered me was the constant expectation of hearing Beauty sing only to never hear even a snippet of her voice. She is a singer and they never thought to let the audience hear her sing? I kept waiting, thinking that any moment they would finally let us hear it, but like everything else in this movie, I was disappointed. I made this account just so that I could write this review. This movie infuriated me. I only gave it 2 stars because the acting is not bad and there are great actors in this film.
Confusing conceptually
Ryley_hubbard30 June 2022
I am confused by the idea of a film where the protagonist is an up and coming singer whom we never hear sing.
I spent the entire runtime trying to figure out what the director was trying to say by structuring the movie the way it was and have come up short.
Arguably one of the least engaging movies I've seen to date.
I spent the entire runtime trying to figure out what the director was trying to say by structuring the movie the way it was and have come up short.
Arguably one of the least engaging movies I've seen to date.
A singer you never hear sing
tina-450-96688630 June 2022
IT WAS HORRIBLE!!!
musicturnzmeon3 July 2022
This was a total waste of time! I guess the reason that I watched was because it had Niecy Nash Sharon stone and Giancarlo Esposito. The story line was hella weak and the cinematography was awful.
AND WHY DID SHE NEVER SING??? I.
AND WHY DID SHE NEVER SING??? I.
We all know who this is about.
CriticsVoiceVideo29 June 2022
This really could have been the definitive "Whitney Houston" movie, but sadly it only focuses on one tiny aspect of the singer's life. The estate is still very protective of Whitney's image so I understand the difficulty in bringing the true story to screen. All that said, this film does a great job telling an unauthorized fictional version. Good writing, good cast, production design, and direction. It actually covers a good portion of her family dynamic considering the short time allotted. However, It's a terrible shame that we couldn't get any music whatsoever from the popstar. Not even a soundtrack of original music. For a movie about an amazing singer, she should have sang at least one song. Terrible. Because of that, it suffers from a lack of energy and therefore the picture isn't balanced. It's just kind of one note which really sucks because this could have been an amazing biopic. Authorized or not. But what we get is a fine family drama with loose ends.
So Boring!
lherreraxvi-1226630 June 2022
Artistic or lazy?
evlinlake1 July 2022
Who's idea was it to not have her ever sing. Instead rely of real vintage footage at filler. Lazy filmmaking by the director/producer. What a disappointment, not only to viewers but to the great seasoned actors who put their faith on the script. Someone was overconfident. I feel for all the actors and the writer, because the flop is nowhere near their fault. I kept hoping we'd have her big shining moment. Just once, and the world stays quiet while she sings. I guess they thought they could get away with it being an artistic choice, but it failed miserably. Too bad.
Are we all so desperate for the obvious..?
ronaldberryiii2 July 2022
I appreciated this film. The acting was superb. Sure the script was a little under developed, but I kind of expected that come in when I took a look at the run time. I actually thought the movie did a good job at making 85 minutes feel like 120. Have we lost our appetite to be teased...a little seduction, and some really intense moments for me. "We're having dinner," "what do you mean make her go away," "tender love," "that's because you haven't seen me naked yet," "I want my cut," "everyone but you." I was thoroughly entertained, and amused...every movie doesn't have to be the Godfather for me to enjoy it.
I Get It!
sheast16 July 2022
This wasn't a biopic in the traditional sense of such stories. If you are looking at it from that genre, you will be very disappointed. I think the writer and production were trying to focus on the story of a talent going into the entertainment business and the changes for her, her family, and friends. Yes, it is very familiar to a life story we know well, but it is not about the talent, the voice, or the legend. We already know that part well. But what about the struggles that person faces with impending notoriety (i.e. R&b v. Pop star, traditional "good" church girl v. Alternative lifestyle, well-spoken v. Urban). The acting was good with what the actors had to work with. Photography was excellent. However, the plot and characters needed to be fill out more. And, the pacing was off in the build up to the end of one era for the singer and moving on to the next. I loved the interspersed video of singing legends, which more than made up for any musical accompaniment from the actors.
The movie we really didn't need AT ALL...
LacyPierce2 July 2022
No singing, really?
Are you serious?
NOT ONE SONG?
A film about an up and coming singer without ANY ACTUAL MUSIC?
What genius came up with this concept?
Ugh... there are no words, truly no words for how ridiculous this is.
Are you serious?
NOT ONE SONG?
A film about an up and coming singer without ANY ACTUAL MUSIC?
What genius came up with this concept?
Ugh... there are no words, truly no words for how ridiculous this is.
A story about a girl that never sing
donisaa2 July 2022
BORING and Disrespectful
quannunu1 July 2022
Warning: Spoilers
It was slow dragging and confusing. It's clearly based on Whitney's early life but more of fan fiction they even tried to add a Bobby Brown in the movie dead giveaway! Whitney is turning in her grave they need to let her rest! It's.disrespectful to make this movie basically outting Whitney making her look like a closet lesbian. She was a icon and deserves to be known for her music not relationships!
Spoiler Alert: This is a Really Bad Movie
garrettbeverly4 July 2022
The movie sequences were discombobulated. The plot, writing, dialogue was soooo bad that I had to fast forward through some of it. It was a about a singer who never sang.
At first I thought it was a Blaxploitation movie from the 70's until I saw 2022 release in the movie details. My guess is that Neicy Nash and Giancarlos Esposito did this movie for free to help out a friend.
This movie wasn't even laughably bad, it was just pathetic bad.
At first I thought it was a Blaxploitation movie from the 70's until I saw 2022 release in the movie details. My guess is that Neicy Nash and Giancarlos Esposito did this movie for free to help out a friend.
This movie wasn't even laughably bad, it was just pathetic bad.
Slow and boring movie
fransjevanderwoud30 June 2022
Warning: Spoilers
The actrice is imo very good, bit why we don't heard her sing? The actor who played as her father was very very bad. I can't take this movie serious, all the takes are not finished and feels like they couldn't finish it properly.
Bad movie sorry ...
Bad movie sorry ...
She's VOICELESS - It's a freaking metaphor
iambriannakendrick3 August 2022
Warning: Spoilers
There are a lot of people complaining about how the main protagonists never "sings.."' how she was hyped up and such, but while you see her sing, you never hear her actual voice.
That was the point. She didn't get to make her own choices regarding her sound, which music got released, when or where or what or how she performed, she had no control of her own industry image. She didn't get to be her own person. She was essentially voiceless.
At the end you see her conforming to what everyone wanted, what the times demanded, and being with the guy for show, confirming the reality of her having no control of her narrative or any autonomy over her life. They didn't let us hear her sing because what she sounded like didn't matter in that it was only what the people controlling her molded her to sound like. The point of movie was that she had no control or voice/say of her own.
The audience not hearing Beauty's singing voice was a metaphor for her not having her voice heard or respected in her reality.
That was the point. She didn't get to make her own choices regarding her sound, which music got released, when or where or what or how she performed, she had no control of her own industry image. She didn't get to be her own person. She was essentially voiceless.
At the end you see her conforming to what everyone wanted, what the times demanded, and being with the guy for show, confirming the reality of her having no control of her narrative or any autonomy over her life. They didn't let us hear her sing because what she sounded like didn't matter in that it was only what the people controlling her molded her to sound like. The point of movie was that she had no control or voice/say of her own.
The audience not hearing Beauty's singing voice was a metaphor for her not having her voice heard or respected in her reality.
The singer who never sang
missparker-204014 July 2022
How do you create a movie about a young gifted singer and the singer never sings throughout the whole movie? You never hear the alleged gifted voice! This movie could have been so much more. It's like watching a murder mystery and they never show the murder occur. The issue between the singer and father was the most dramatic part.
This is not about Whitney
nathanchasewomack30 June 2022
Warning: Spoilers
Put Whitney Houston far out of your mind...if you can.
A fantastic 90 minute film about the dynamics of a late 70's/early 80's working middle class Black family & how everyone in this family tries to find their way forward riding on the coattails as well as depending on the future success of their youngest child, Beauty, who seems to have it all, stunning beauty as well as drop dead in your tracks singing abilities. We never hear her sing & the creative team made a wise choice here because the story is very clearly based on Whitney Houston and...well, you cannot find anyone on earth to be able to match that voice. Take note there are no names for the principal characters. The mother who is immensely talented but who was denied a successful singing career & is both wary of the business and a little jealous at what her daughter is about to step into. She demands credit that Beauty only exists because of her. She also demands her children be on their best behavior, when she herself is clearly no saint (there's an excellent very subtle scene that has the minister of the family's church giving Mother the "look if lust " & she gives it right back...all while Father is silently noticing this exchange. The father, a domineering overbearing "man of the house" who often pits his 2 children with his wife's first child by another man. He's all front as he is as sleazy and as greedy as any hustler. A narcissist whose word is law and is the king of his castle lording over his subjects, his family. Then we have Jazz "Jazmine" Beauty's best friend & lover, her 'safe space' where she can be herself, which she doesn't even know what (or who) she is yet. By the end of the film Beauty is ready to explore her sexuality and sensually and Jazz is left waiting on the lonely sidelines. Finally we have perfectly cast Sharon Stone as the Colonizer, a powerful White record exec who can get Beauty on her label fast enough and only on her terms...meaning she wants her to be the next Diana Ross, but bigger. A Black female singer who appeals to everyone, meaning the Black community come second.
Everything was a feast to the eyes. The sets & decor, the cars and the clothing were gorgeous and sumptuous.
A fantastic representation of so many POC as well as Black lesbians, who, in this world being a Black woman is hard enough but to be a Black lesbian is, as we hear many times in the film "evil".
A fantastic 90 minute film about the dynamics of a late 70's/early 80's working middle class Black family & how everyone in this family tries to find their way forward riding on the coattails as well as depending on the future success of their youngest child, Beauty, who seems to have it all, stunning beauty as well as drop dead in your tracks singing abilities. We never hear her sing & the creative team made a wise choice here because the story is very clearly based on Whitney Houston and...well, you cannot find anyone on earth to be able to match that voice. Take note there are no names for the principal characters. The mother who is immensely talented but who was denied a successful singing career & is both wary of the business and a little jealous at what her daughter is about to step into. She demands credit that Beauty only exists because of her. She also demands her children be on their best behavior, when she herself is clearly no saint (there's an excellent very subtle scene that has the minister of the family's church giving Mother the "look if lust " & she gives it right back...all while Father is silently noticing this exchange. The father, a domineering overbearing "man of the house" who often pits his 2 children with his wife's first child by another man. He's all front as he is as sleazy and as greedy as any hustler. A narcissist whose word is law and is the king of his castle lording over his subjects, his family. Then we have Jazz "Jazmine" Beauty's best friend & lover, her 'safe space' where she can be herself, which she doesn't even know what (or who) she is yet. By the end of the film Beauty is ready to explore her sexuality and sensually and Jazz is left waiting on the lonely sidelines. Finally we have perfectly cast Sharon Stone as the Colonizer, a powerful White record exec who can get Beauty on her label fast enough and only on her terms...meaning she wants her to be the next Diana Ross, but bigger. A Black female singer who appeals to everyone, meaning the Black community come second.
Everything was a feast to the eyes. The sets & decor, the cars and the clothing were gorgeous and sumptuous.
A fantastic representation of so many POC as well as Black lesbians, who, in this world being a Black woman is hard enough but to be a Black lesbian is, as we hear many times in the film "evil".
Waste of time
stephewarren3 July 2022
Warning: Spoilers
I wish I could give this film ZERO stars. Don't even waste your time looking at this film. Complete waste of the actors talent and my time. I thought I was missing something because I never heard the main character singing, but apparently that was done on purpose. So disappointing!!
So boring
swtlorraine1 July 2022
Seems like they tried for this movie to be Whitney H. With the same family problems and Christian background. Can I just hear her sing just one time...,please, but no! It's really sad to see great actors in a sorry movie.
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