The High Note – Hits a Relatively Impressive Pitch (Early Review)

It’s been continually and consistently interesting to view all of these movies that were meant to be viewed in a theater before the pandemic, because it has posed so many questions about the value of the movie theatre experience. Other films scheduled to go to theatres but eventually going the PVOD/streaming route have had us thinking about how the experience elevates the film. However, films like The High Note fit this format so perfectly. It’s light, brief fun that isn’t necessarily intellectually stimulating or immersive, but still quite entertaining. It’s certainly got it’s issues, but it’s definitely a film that is an interesting case study of streaming – and one that’s certainly worth your $20 to fill your content cravings.

One of the most interesting parts of The High Note is its introspective and intimate look at the Hollywood music industry. Very similar to what Entourage and Once Upon a Time In Hollywood did for the film industry, this film does for music. It’s definitely a stand out quality, as its close up look into how the industry works is certainly quite unique. If anything about this film will get audiences talking, it will most likely be this smaller but impactful aspect. The performances here are pretty solid as well. Dakota Johnson has consistently been sinking her teeth into pretty compelling roles, and this is no exception as Maggie. While Maggie obviously falls into a significant amount of tropes, as many of the film’s characters do, this did not have a negative impact on how likeable and compelling she was. Meanwhile, Harrison Jr. and Ross as David Cliff and Grace Davis respectively are also quite compelling, adding a sense of comfort to their characters that are a part of a much more dirty industry at large.

Unfortunately, The High Note stumbles significantly in the cliche/trope realm, which is quite disappointing for a film with such storytelling potential. To begin, everything about it comes off as a studio-mandated project. The film is shot, lit and edited in a particularly uninteresting way, and if it were done better, it could’ve omitted many of the issues here. The screenplay also feels quite uninspired. Though so much of it does work, and a lot of the dialogue is quite clever, the film literally feels like it’s assembled from a recipe or instructions – as if it’s locked into the structure and can’t modify it at all to make the film more intriguing. The predictability factor is off the charts, which is fine if the story is well executed – which it thankfully was for the most part.

Besides some studio film-isms that really bog this down, and a twist ending that really reduces the story’s impact, The High Note is pretty solid. It has some great performances and a particularly interesting insider look at the music industry that sets it apart. While it may not be worth the full PVOD price point, we don’t really live in a world that’s giving us much choice at the moment – so why not give it a try?

*still courtesy of Focus Features*

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