Hurry Up Tomorrow Evaluate: The Weeknd Is Nonetheless Excessive on His Personal Mythology

Tesfaye has referred to Hurry Up Tomorrow as his most private mission to-date. He developed the movie with director Trey Edward Shults (It Comes at Night time, Waves), who additionally co-wrote the script with Tesfaye and Reza Fahim—co-writer of the doomed HBO drama The Idol. As Tesfaye has relayed many instances, Hurry Up Tomorrow (the film) was gestating lengthy earlier than Hurry Up Tomorrow (the album) was within the works. However the catalyst for each was a pivotal second in Tesfaye’s profession: In September 2022, early right into a sold-out live performance at California’s 70,000-seat SoFi Stadium, the singer heard a pop! He’d misplaced his voice, and needed to cancel the remainder of the present.

The Weeknd in Hurry Up Tomorrow meets the identical destiny, and, because it actually did for Tesfaye, the occasion sparks a breakdown. The movie’s depiction of Abel’s deteriorating psychological well being additionally revolves round his Riley Keough–voiced ex-girlfriend, whom he calls and texts obsessively. At one level, earlier than hitting one other large stage, he sobs and swears at her voicemail as his glam squad tries to get him prepared for the approaching present. The digicam swirls across the scene, unsteady and swift. That is certainly one of what I can solely name a tormenting variety of 360-degree pictures within the film. I attempted to put in writing all of them down, however my hand started to cramp.

As we watch the Weeknd carry out, get together, and sulk within the leadup to blowing out his voice, Shults splices in footage of Ani (Jenna Ortega), a disturbed Weeknd fan who drives cross-country to attend his present after torching her childhood dwelling. (Why? We’re by no means clued in.) Shults, who additionally edited the movie, spends quite a lot of time slicing forwards and backwards between the 2 characters. The stress builds seemingly eternally, however the second after they lastly meet, lock eyes, and abscond collectively is comically abrupt. “I noticed you,” Abel says to Ani, who has bolted backstage at his live performance. “Sure,” she says. After which they’re off. Shults spends a lot time on atmosphere that many of the movie’s character interactions really feel uncared for and rusty on the joints. Provided that Ortega and Keoghan are extremely gifted actors who can enliven the limpest materials, this feels extra like a extra foundational challenge within the writing and directing.

What’s humorous is the Weeknd isn’t so unhealthy at enjoying himself. He’s actually improved since his final performing function as sleazy producer Tedros in The Idol. Tesfaye can shed a tear and play a prick with out sending all the scene right into a screeching halt. The core challenge with Hurry Up Tomorrow is its very conceit, most of which I can’t clarify tremendously with out spoiling the movie’s closing act. Nonetheless, the trailer alone reveals that the Weeknd encounters a crazed fan who places him by some form of hellish scenario in a luxurious lodge room. Make of that what you want.

To an extent, Hurry Up Tomorrow shares DNA with Distress, the Stephen King novel turned Rob Reiner movie that raises advanced questions on fame, popular culture, and the extremes of fandom. Sadly, these concepts are simply form of slapped on the floor of Hurry Up Tomorrow, which fails to penetrate deeper into the lives and motivations of its characters. The exception almost arrives within the closing minutes throughout a high-stakes scene that had the potential to remodel the entire movie right into a ruthless satire. However the punches had been pulled, and Tesfaye stays valuable about his long-held persona. Caught up within the sentimentality of his personal fame, the Weeknd simply can’t heed his personal curtain name.