A reclusive, teenage music prodigy forms an unlikely friendship with a struggling producer. United by their mutual love of hip-hop, they try to free each other from the demons of their past and break into the city's music scene.
Beats is an original film that was released on Netflix over a month ago. There was very little marketing pushing the film forward, and the synopsis did little to really draw me towards viewing the film; the premise of a kid brought up in a bad neighbourhood using sports or music to try to get out, well it's been done many many times before. Nevertheless, quarantined at home with the flu, I decided to give it a go.
Looking at other reviews online, critics are unanimous that the film is a must-see, and yet it barely rates over 60% according to the audience scores. What was interesting though, was to note that on platforms like YouTube, reviews from casual moviegoers were actually largely split by race; Caucasians reviewing negatively based on technical aspects, whereas African-American/Black reviewers viewed the film positively due to its handling of the screenplay content. That alone should tell you that this film (which involves black characters in a black community in Chicago) is really going to be relatable to the black community more so than with a Caucasian audience.
While the premise seems familiar, the direction taken with the film is something else entirely. This could be due to the fact that this is only the second feature film from director Chris Robinson, who primarily directs commercials and music videos. It's actually Robinson's extensive videography (120+) working with artists such as 50 Cent, Akon, Alicia Keys, Busta Rhymes, Eminem, and Jay-Z, that gives his work greater credibility. This isn't someone from the outside trying to show the Hip-hop world, this is someone that knows people and has experience in the industry. It's such knowledge that must lead to some of the choices in the film, specifically decisions to do with language and violence shown.
The film, in general, could be PG-rated, and it's almost a pity that it isn't. The film starts off like every other generic film of this premise would begin, except it doesn't pull any punches. Our character undergoes a traumatic incident, and we experience it with him. It's shocking, it's unexpected, but most importantly, it's accurate. Robinson also does not discard the experience, it becomes a part of our protagonist's character. It changes him because he now has PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder).
This is what the Black community are praising the film for. Bringing to light what happens in states like Chicago. The reality of poor communities living in areas controlled by gangs, police that are so afraid that they treat everyone as a threat, and schools that are losing funding because kids are not making it into class. The starkness of this world feels almost alien to what I had growing up. It's all shown in the small details, such as having to go through the metal detector every time we enter the school grounds. It's a detail that many would show once and that's it, but every time we go back to the school, we have to go back through the metal detector. It's simply what life is like there.
Of course, Beats is not only about the psychological effects of gang violence on mental health; it is also about the music industry as a way to escape it. I certainly wouldn't consider any of the Hip-hop music on display in the film to be exceptional or groundbreaking. It does, however, show the creation process really well, as well as all of the learning curves (there are many times our young protagonist is called out on a lacklustre beat, which as an audience member you can actually feel the difference in quality).
As far as casting goes, I always love when a comedian takes on a dramatic role. They tend to have much better control of their expressive capabilities and can pull off a brilliantly emotive performance. Anthony Anderson continues this trend with a great performance. His co-star Khalil Everage also works well, switching between timidness, persistent fear, horror, anger, guilt, or shame on a whim as needed. The screenplay, for the most part, is good. Romelo, August and his mum Carla, all get some great emotional arcs that give the characters necessary development (though admittedly, Romelo's arc feels unfinished). The cinematography and lighting are quite well done, especially during "live performance" scenes where you can feel Robinson's experience in Hip-hop music video directing shine.
Beats succeeds because of the strong backstory and environment that the story takes place in. It manages to build tension and suspense in the audience as the protagonists are experiencing it. Even for those that were not brought up in that kind of neighbourhood, even for those that do not like Hip-hop, there is a solid story here with a message that needs to be heard. In a world where people are becoming increasingly isolated, it's important to see films like these to be reminded of what others are struggling to overcome.
The odd pacing issue here and there, but overall, a solid release from Netflix.