While Maggie eventually proves her competence as a producer, there's no attempt to suggest that her work is especially brilliant or groundbreaking. Running time: 1 hour 53 minutes. Tracee Ellis Ross really, really does her thing...even Ice Cube gave us something a little bit different... Kelvin Harrison Jr. is just one role away from being the biggest thing ever...he's going to hit big, and I'm all for it. Just don’t expect an imitation. [Full review in Spanish]. The film gets teasingly close to bringing up some hefty conversations about women in the music business, but in the end, those notes stay flat, playing more like a melody that doesn’t stick around for long. It allows you to peer through a window into this world without allowing you to get to know anyone inside. The High Note is a pleasant and unsurprising stroll through the music industry. Grace knows how she sounds when she asks Maggie to remind her of how many Grammys she’s won (it’s 11). Not that it matters in a script (by Flora Greeson, a former music-industry assistant) that sometimes requires not just the suspension of disbelief, but its assassination. Critics Consensus. ‘Lovecraft Country’ Finale Recap: Spells and Prayers and Potions, Oh My! The High Note is a a really fun movie about music, love, and friendship. If t's a mostly agreeable rom-com you're after, one underpinned by a fresh soundtrack celebrating many of the greats in American music then The High Note might just be for you. Counteracting Johnson’s regrettable blandness, a clutch of agile actors in minor roles inject color and life into otherwise small moments. It’s something of a miracle, then, that this hokey tale of an aspiring young record producer and a prematurely written-off diva unfurls almost as smoothly as the vintage soul and R&B that greases the soundtrack: Clearly, the director, Nisha Ganatra, knows that no one can resist a dash of Donny Hathaway. The High Note never reaches any great cinematic heights, but the music is fine and the ride pleasant enough. When you purchase a ticket for an independently reviewed film through our site, we earn an affiliate commission. ‘The High Note’ Review: Music-Industry Diva Dramedy Is a Little Off-Key Tracee Ellis Ross and Dakota Johnson play a singer and her personal assistant in this … Summary: Set in the dazzling world of the LA music scene comes the story of Grace Davis (Tracee Ellis Ross), a superstar whose talent, and ego, have reached unbelievable heights, and Maggie (Dakota Johnson), her overworked personal assistant. Indeed. Rent or buy on Amazon, Apple TV, FandangoNOW and other streaming platforms and pay TV operators. These Smart Locks Let You Lock Up From Anywhere Using Your Phone, ‘Lovecraft Country’ Creator Misha Green on Bold Storytelling and the Season Finale, Watch Miley Cyrus Cover Cranberries’ ‘Zombie’ for Save Our Stages Festival. Sidney Poitier’s 7 Most Memorable Performances, All Harry Potter Movies Ranked Worst to Best by Tomatometer. But all goes down easy. Nisha Ganatra ’s “The High Note” is a movie with its heart in the right place and appeal to spare, but it doesn’t quite transcend its story’s predictable course. and the Terms and Policies, Please enter your email address and we will email you a new password. Enter David (Kelvin Harrison Jr.), a velvet-voiced singer-songwriter and all-around sweetie who, wouldn’t you know it, needs only a talented producer to kick his career into orbit. Instead, we get flyby comments about age and race and fame that don’t stick in any meaningful way, as well as an ongoing impression of talented women having their voices suppressed. Maggie falls hard for David (Kelvin Harrison, Jr., criminally wasted), a young singer she tricks into hiring her as a producer. The High Note: Movie Clip - I Want to Clean My Closet. But just when you think The High Note is giving off real music world signals like the kind Bradley Cooper layered into A Star is Born, the plot degenerates into daytime drama histrionics. She’s a fan. Send us a tip using our anonymous form. If you want to see that dynamic done to scalpel-sharp perfection, check out 2014’s Clouds of Sils Maria with Kristen Stewart serving at the whim of aging film goddess Juliette Binoche without sacrificing her own spiky independence. Powered by JustWatch. Tracee Ellis Ross plays a … Don't have an account? Ross, you’ll be pleased to know, refuses to be sucked under by the cliché-filled quicksand of a plot. As Grace asks Oprah: “When there are no more surprises, who am I doing this for?”. The High Note sings a charming tune that, while familiar, will satisfy on a breezy summer night. The High Note, when forced to choose between the harsh reality of the dominant/submissive equation or the far more digestible fantasy, invariably takes the route that goes down easy. Left Your Door Unlocked? Parents need to know that The High Note is an appealing musical drama about the complex relationship between aging superstar singer Grace Davis (Tracee Ellis Ross) and her ambitious personal assistant, Maggie (Dakota Johnson). Dakota Johnson and Tracee Ellis Ross in “The High Note.”.