Universal
Movies about pursuing dreams are no new thing in Hollywood. Film offers a great platform for these stories to be told as they usually come from people that can reflect on their own experiences; often, they can also inspire audiences to take action in their own lives – movies like The Pursuit of Happyness, La La Land, Good Will Hunting. In a time when the world needs that motivation a bit more than usual, Nisha Ganatra’s The High Note arrives to warm our hearts and propel us into going after those aspirations.
Maggie (Dakota Johnson) is the personal assistant to musical superstar Grace Davis (Tracee Ellis Ross); Davis’ prime years are behind her and she mostly tours recycled albums while her manager, Jack (Ice Cube), tries to get her to settle into a long-term contract that will take the pressure off. As one critic in the film states, “it’s a good thing Davis’ music is so good because her performance is getting old”. She’s seeking reinvention but her label deter her from doing so. Maggie, however, has other plans than legacy shows – she has a secret dream to produce music and she’s good at it too – and propels Davis into recording the new album that she so desperately wants to release.
The set-up is fairly conventional and the narrative unfolds predictably; Flora Greeson’s script isn’t here to break the mould but her writing doesn’t ever attempt to either. Instead, there’s a greater focus on using the shopworn structure as a means of focusing on the characters at hand. Thanks to Ganatra’s glossy direction, the pair elevate their narrative with a lot of joie de vivre. Much like Davis’ remixed albums, they’re putting a fresh spin on old material to give it a more contemporary sound. While the film doesn’t reach the emotional heights it could as a result, it works because of the magnetic turn from Johnson and her bubbly chemistry with Ross. The latter does a great job in the ageing musician role; the character expectedly arrogant and showy when we first meet her but, through the conversations she has, we get to peel back the layers of the celebrity facade to see someone just wanting their legacy to stick. It makes for a fascinating arc that contrasts Johnson’s sparkly-eyed, deterministic dreamer very elegantly.
While the stroke of luck Maggie is gifted within The High Note is a little superficial, her determination feels real and tactile. She just happens to be a PA to a superstar looking for a new angle; she happens to already have mixed a version of her song for her to hear; she conveniently meets aspiring popstar David (Kelvin Harrison Jr) when he’s looking for a producer. Although it’s not exactly the most authentic way of getting a break (she’s literally handed a breakout opportunity by someone in power after she lays out her dream for him), there’s a lot of relatability in Maggie’s aspirations and how she’s constantly working for her dreams despite mounting difficulty and pressure in her life outside of the recording booth. Real-life isn’t a series of meet-cutes but it’s all in the favour of character drive and purpose – which the film rather touchingly conveys – so it’s forgivable when the result is just so effervescent and kind.
The soundtrack is brilliant too; both Ross and Harrison Jr get opportunities to flex their vocal range and the pair have some serious talent. It’s easy to believe Ross’ success as a musician while Harrison Jr’s singing shows just why a record label would want to sign him. The songs are soulful and catchy and blend in with the film’s very colourful, smooth aesthetic. It may be meandering and conventional but it’s also a sweet, inspiring story about chasing your dreams that’s elevated by a charming cast and a captivating performance from Johnson. It’s the kind of sincere, easygoing film we need in the world right now. Throw in some good humour, a witty turn from Ice Cube, and The High Note hits all the right notes.
The High Note is released on demand from 29th May 2020.
