Beyond the Lights (2014)

The pressures of fame have superstar singer Noni on the edge, until she meets Kaz, a young cop who works to help her find the courage to develop her own voice and break free to become the artist she was meant to be.

Director:

Gina Prince-Bythewood

Writer:

Gina Prince-Bythewood

Stars:

Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Nate Parker, Minnie Driver

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 4 wins & 24 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Gugu Mbatha-Raw	...	Noni
Nate Parker	...	Kaz
Minnie Driver	...	Macy Jean
Machine Gun Kelly	...	Kid Culprit (as Richard Colson Baker)
Danny Glover	...	Captain Nicol
Darryl Stephens	...	Quentin
Elaine Tan	...	April
Isaac Keys	...	Jonas
Tyler Christopher	...	Liam King
Benito Martinez	...	Jesse Soria
Aisha Hinds	...	J Stanley
India Jean-Jacques	...	Noni (age 10)
Deidrie Henry	...	Felicia
Estelle	...	Self
Malieek Straughter	...	Billboard Awards Stage Manager

Storyline

Romance ignites between a troubled young singer on the cusp of stardom, and a handsome young cop with political ambitions in this drama about the power of walking your own path. Noni Jean (Gugu Mbatha-Raw) is a talented singer whose ethereal voice has taken the world of music by storm. A glimpse beneath the surface, however, reveals a girl who's cracking under the pressure to top the charts. When Noni tries to end it all, concerned cop Kaz Nicol (Nate Parker) pulls her back from the ledge, and shows her that life is still worth living. Along the way, Noni and Kaz fall head over heels in love. Meanwhile, the powers that be conspire to keep them apart as well as focused on their respective careers. But without Kaz's love, Noni may never find her true voice..

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Plot Keywords:

singer | sex symbol | domestic abuse | suicide attempt | public humiliation | 

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Taglines:

Open your heart. Find your voice.

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Genres:

Drama | Music | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for sexual content including suggestive gestures, partial nudity, language and thematic elements

Did You Know?

Trivia

After Sony dropped the movie, Gina Prince-Bythewood's husband (director/producer/screenwriter Reggie Rock Bythewood) encouraged her to shoot a short presentation with Gugu Mbatha-Raw, to prove that she could play Noni Jean. The five minute short was produced by Lena Waithe, with Bradford Young as the cinematographer.

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Goofs

When Noni smashes posters of herself with her bare hands, she cuts herself on the glass and is bleeding pretty badly. Yet the next morning she has no visible injuries whatsoever.

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Quotes

Noni: Nobody cares what I have to say.

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Connections

Referenced in Film 2018: Episode #45.4 (2016)

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Soundtracks

Don't Wait
Written by Jacqueline Cummings and Magnus Lidehäll
Performed by Mapei
Courtesy of Downtown Records LLC

User Reviews

Pleasantly Surprised

I had never heard of this movie before a colleague recommended it and even then, had no intention of watching it. I was bored and watched it and MY OH MY was I pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it! I thought it would be a cheesy movie but the story and actors were extremely believable. The addition of realistic award show backdrops added to the current condition of the music industry psyche. Soundtrack was lovely and I enjoyed hearing a current Amel Larrieux jam during such a touching scene. (Sidenote: Check out Ice Cream Every Day for more Amel gems!)

I HIGHLY recommend this movie to anyone interested in a combination of a love story and music. And if this helps, I wouldn't describe this as a chick flick at all - it has a universal appeal to anyone who stays current with the industry and knows how it can steal souls.

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook Official Twitter

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

14 November 2014 (USA)

Also Known As:

Beyond the Lights

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$7,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$6,200,284, 16 November 2014

Gross USA:

$14,618,727

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$14,618,727

Company Credits

Production Co:

Black Entertainment Television (BET), Homegrown Pictures, Relativity Media

Technical Specs

Runtime:

116 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1