“The High Note” (2020) stars Dakota Johnson as Maggie, an assistant to a famous singer, Grace Davis (Tracee Ellis Ross). Maggie longs to be a producer. Jack (Ice Cube), Grace’s lifelong manager, sees Maggie as an obstacle. To prove that she has the chops to make it, Maggie takes on another client, David (Kelvin Harrison Jr.), but is she stretching herself too thin working two jobs which could result in her losing everything? Best known for directing “Late Night” (2019), which is in the queue, but I have not seen yet, and television series such as “Transparent” (2014), Nisha Ganatra directs this genre bending film.
“The High Note” appeals to viewers’ desire to get an exclusive sneak peek into the lives of celebrities and into an inaccessible lavish world. It feels like a backstage pass to a glamorous world which requires talent to access. The locations are sumptuous. The clothes are gorgeous. There is this unspoken expectation that we may get an unofficial biography of Diana Ross, or at least, a music world equivalent to “The Devil Wears Prada” (2006). While I applaud the film for refusing to villainize any character or give in to our desires for a ripped from the tabloid story, it also left me at sea in terms of whether to root for Maggie. Despite casting the affable Ice Cube, the instinctual villain appears to be Jack, who plays it safe and cares more about a sure thing than taking creative risks. He gives the initial vibe of a mansplainer who sees himself as more responsible for Grace’s success than Grace, but he wants Grace to be accepted and successful. Whenever Maggie did anything spunky, Grace leaned towards validating Jack’s efforts to stifle Maggie. Does Maggie know what she is doing or is she out of her depth too focused on music instead of business and profit to the detriment of her employer? I do not know enough about being a music producer to feel confident of Maggie’s abilities, and the movie only establishes her enthusiasm and dedication. She is possibly young, naive and stupid. Jack gets sidelined as the movie unfolds thus robbing the narrative of any authentic tension for Maggie to struggle against other than self-doubt.
While I am not a fan of Oscar Assayas’ films, Kristen Stewart kept me engrossed while her character engaged in mundane tasks in glamorous places for wealthier people in “Clouds of Sils Maria” (2014) and “Personal Shopper” (2016). I was looking forward to Johnson’s performance after adoring her fearless, scene stealing performances in “A Bigger Splash” (2015) and “Bad Times at the El Royale” (2018). I know that Johnson has the captivating presence to get us invested. She convincingly played a dancer and pagan savior in “Suspira” (2018), but I had zero confidence in her character and felt as if she was gradually losing her mind towards the end. Eddie Izzard gives her some credibility otherwise she seems entitled and out of her league. If she cannot handle criticism and stay focused on her work without bursting into tears, then maybe she is in the wrong business. There is nothing wrong with expressing emotion but show business does not care about your feelings. Johnson plays her flat, breathy and forgettable.
Ross outshines by playing her silent moments as powerfully as her dialogue. Even though I knew that Maggie was the main character, the execution was disappointing, and made it clear that the wrong main character was chosen. We needed to follow the woman with everything, which means that she has something to lose. Ross plays Grace as a woman graciously accepting backhanded compliments from people who will never be as great as her. It could have been an intriguing intersectional study on power. Though Grace is the icon, as a black woman, her success is not attributed to her hard work and talent, and her age makes her a has been. Though she is cast as the diva, she does not have the leverage to engage in such antics. When the film is not focused on her, it meanders and loses all momentum.
Instead we get a young woman in the city trying to make all her career and romance dreams come true. I did not expect a romantic storyline and was disappointed that another character distracted from Grace’s storyline. I was uninvested in the relationship, especially considering the way that the entire story feels obligated to tie all the elements together. I went into the film expecting an intergenerational, interracial, professional camaraderie, but the star and her assistant were chummier than I expected. If we lived in a less heteronormative world, it would make more sense to conflate Grace into her boss and eventual love interest if we must have one. I’m not saying there was an attraction, but it made more sense than the grocery shopping pick up scene. Instead, the film twists itself into pretzels to not just make Maggie into a one-track music nerd and lacks the courage to stay focused on the two women’s ambition. They become relatable through the romantic subplot, which puts them in safe categories. The script desperately reassures us that though Grace is single, she is very much heterosexual, and Michael B Jordan’s name is suggested as an off-screen love interest.
Harrison is an unrecognizable chameleon, a character actor with a wide-ranging resume: “It Comes at Night” (2017), “Monsters and Men” (2018), “Luce” (2029) “Waves” (2019). He deserves better than this tropey role. Harrison does his best with what he is given as Maggie’s golden ticket to fame and love, but her Prince Charming is written as too convenient and unbelievable to fit without eyerolling.
Whenever I see a movie in which music plays a pivotal role, I want to leave the movie desperate to get the soundtrack so I can play it repeatedly and relive my favorite moments. “The High Note” never gave me a song that I wanted to hear even once. Ross, Harrison, and Johnson are talented, beautiful people, but they are not singers. Maybe I am too critical, but I left “Summertime” (2021) haunted by the rap duo’s haunting song from the closing credits, and their lyrics and abilities were ridiculed throughout the movie. In contrast, I never wanted to hit rewind during this movie and struggled to get through the forgettable music. I appreciate the actors’ sincerity and enthusiasm, but maybe they should borrow a Debbie Reynolds’ move and lip sync.
“The High Note” features some brilliant comedic supporting actors. June Diane Raphael plays Grace’s shamelessly materialistic house manager, Gail. While Gail was a joy, it was puzzling why Grace kept her around when Gail only loves her for Grace’s hand me downs. Zoe Chao plays Maggie’s encouraging, med school roommate, which she manages to make funny though it is the standard rom com best friend role. Chao is a deft comedian and manages to outshine Johnson in every scene.
If you are a fan of the cast, then “The High Note” won’t feel like a complete waste of time. I still found myself unable to give my complete attention and yearned to wash dishes or listen to actual good music instead.
