“The High Note”

Directed by: Nisha Ganatra 

Rated: PG-13

Runtime: 1:54

Starring big-name actors, including Tracee Ellis Ross, Dakota Johnson and Ice Cube, “The High Note” is a traditional but fun-type of blockbuster comedy that audiences used to run to the theater to see in the early 2000s. It is carefree but entertaining, which is what people want to be watching right now. The film takes place in LA and follows a legendary fictional singer, Grace Davis (Tracee Ellis Ross) who has reached her peak in the entertainment industry. Her hard-working assistant, Maggie (Dakota Johnson) tiredly runs errands night and day for Grace but dreams of being a music producer. One day, Grace’s manager (Ice Cube) presents her with a career-altering decision, which results in Grace and Maggie teaming up to save Grace’s career and legacy.

Going into watching this film, I was not exactly on board with it. If you watch the trailers, it is easy to doubt this film’s success because it looks fun, but a little cheesy. In a way, it still was cheesy at times, but the performances by Ross and Johnson definitely made the comedy more tolerable. With music-driven films, it is important that the star has at least somewhat of a musical talent and unsurprisingly, Tracee Ellis Ross (daughter of the great Diana Ross in real life) does not disappoint. Both the filmmaking ensemble and Ross make the audience believe in the character of Grace Davis, in that the costumes, music and entire persona of the character feel familiar even though she is completely fictional. There were times when I forgot Tracee Ellis Ross was playing a character, for if you have seen her work or seen her personality shine through interviews, it is easy to picture her in this kind of role.

Dakota Johnson, on the other hand, last seen in the spectacular “Peanut Butter Falcon” (2019) also gives a tremendous performance. Personally, I prefer Johnson in these types of romantic comedies because she has just the right mix of awkward and charming to be relatable and entertaining all at the same time in a role. Now, Ice Cube’s character, on the other hand, was a character I could have honestly done without. Yes, his role serves a purpose, and let’s face it: Ice Cube is always funny. But after about 20 minutes of his appearance in the film, his humor became overbearing and took away from Ross’s spotlight. 

“The High Note” had the potential to be an absolutely terrible bust, but its heart and overall good nature swooped in and saved the day. This film is one of those that audiences will watch and immediately feel if not happy, content, after watching it. The typical blockbuster comedy used to be like this and now more than ever, these comedies are back in demand due to the state of the world. As a screenwriter, I took note of how this film made me feel, even though it was not my favorite movie ever, and I hope that other filmmakers will do the same. Now, if I was not bored out of my mind with absolutely nothing else to do, I may have felt a bit differently. Also, it is important to note that I have seen some awful films in the past few weeks. But regardless, this one passed the “decent film exam” and if you are still stuck at home, it is definitely worth your money to rent. I give it a 7 out of 10.