Riding off the success of pop singer The Weeknd’s new album, ‘Hurry Up Tomorrow’, Tesfaye took another jab at acting and writing.
The singer, now actor, previously debuted in his very own HBO Max Original TV show, The Idol (2023) starring Lily Rose Depp, which received criticism across the internet from its controversial and disturbing scenes. In the new film, Hurry Up Tomorrow, Tesfaye lands a lead acting role alongside actors Jenna Ortega and Barry Keoghan.
The musical psychological thriller film is directed by Trey Edward Shultz and was released globally only in theatres on May 16th.
Hurry Up Tomorrow follows an insomniac musician, The Weeknd, who portrays himself through a traumatic experience during a concert where he loses his voice on stage. Tesfaye further finds out that this experience was caused by mental exhaustion and heartbreak, instead of physically being hurt. Tesfaye goes through both a few heartbroken tangents and drug-induced rampages at the beginning of the film.
Keoghan portrays Lee, Tesfaye’s manager and best friend in the film. Lee is quick to get Tesfaye back up on his feet and onto the next stage, regardless of Tesfaye’s state. As a result, this is when Tesfaye loses his voice, setting up the film.
Through this experience, Tesfaye runs into a crazed fan backstage, Anima, portrayed by Ortega, whom they quickly fall in love with for the night to come. Anima is on the run from home after committing various crimes, such as arson. Yet, she chooses to never leave Tesfaye’s side and quickly notices Tesfaye’s mental state. She chooses to get the truth out of him by any means necessary, even if it means hurting others.
The cinematography at the beginning of the film can be very overwhelming and unpleasant. However, it does pick up after multiple epileptic scenes of clubbing and partying in a hotel suite. After this, the film does capture some great shots and feelings in the dark.
The film is accompanied by The Weeknd’s latest album ‘Hurry Up Tomorrow’, which is also featured as part of the film’s score. The self-titled track off the album serves as the recurring song that plays throughout the beginning, middle, and end of the movie. It shows Tesfaye begging to be reborn and washed of his sins.
Hurry Up Tomorrow overall explores the themes of heartbreak, addiction, and mental health. It captures the pressures of being an artist in the music industry and the many cons that come with that blessing. At times, the movie could be very funny and entertaining to watch, even during intense scenes. However, the film could get somewhat thrilling in a few scenes quickly.
In contrast, the film lacks a good plot and story. There is not much to say about the plot, since it is very dragged out, although it feels very rushed at times. There could have been more character development with Anima, considering she shows up out of nowhere without much introduction. This feeling makes it seem like the film could have been longer. Or, some scenes could have been taken out and replaced with actual storytelling and character-building scenes for each character.
If you are a fan of The Weeknd, you will enjoy this movie without a doubt in some sense. A background of Tesfaye’s life would help many first-time listeners and watchers in many ways before watching the film. The film is not terrible, but it is decently good for a first-time venture in the film business. But if you are looking for a movie to watch and you are somewhat aware of the overall idea, it is not a bad watch if you are open-minded.
In summary, the new film, Hurry Up Tomorrow, deserves a decent 6 out of 10 stars.
