On the Come Up
Coming of old age story have always drawn an audience . Be they untested or older , there is something one can pertain to within tale about discovering oneself and growing up . InOn the Come Up , Sanaa Lathan ’s directorial debut , a young knocker tries to prove herself in a public faced with various obstacle . The film , which hits certain and predictable history beats , thrives on a strong central performance and a genuine sincerity that is present throughout the lead fibre ’s journey .
On the Come Upfollows Brianna “ Bri ” Jackson ( Jamila Gray ) , a 16 - class - old rapper who is trying to make a career for herself in music . With her Aunt Pooh ( Da’Vine Joy Randolph ) as manager and self-aggrandising supporter , Bri attends hush-hush rap battles to make a name for herself . At home , however , she faces a potential eviction after her female parent , Jay ( Sanaa Lathan ) , a recover addict , lose her job . Bri faces an uphill battle as she endeavor to make it big and dwell up to her begetter ’s hip - record hop legacy and residential area influence . After Supreme ( Method Man ) , a local music manufacturer , takes interest in Bri ’s gift , she must contend with the demand of the music industry , her home animation , and identity .
On the Come Updoesn’t reinvent the wheel , but it still offers a poignant , heartfeltcoming - of - age narrativethat is constitutional rather than contrived . Bri ascertain at first hand how people ’s perception can affect and determine one ’s environment . She has to not only prove that she is a worthy knocker who should be taken seriously , but she has to step out of her late don ’s shadow and sidestep the label that have been forced upon her family . It ’s not an loose journey and there are a lot of ups and John L. H. Down and docile moments , butOn the Come Uphandles its master story with grace and a lot of pump at its core .
The film is elevated by Jamila Gray ’s devout carrying into action as Bri . She showcases her character ’s hard exterior , but remains vulnerable and loose , if refractory , at every turn . Bri is prove to understand herself better and do aright by her family — as they are under financial duress — at the same fourth dimension , and Gray explore Bri ’s superimposed emotions in a grounded public presentation . Da’Vine Joy Randolphalso gives a great performance as Bri ’s aunt , who go steady the talent in her niece and promote her despite not always being on the same Thomas Nelson Page regarding her futurity . Method Man is suave and charismatic as Supreme , who represent the refined , successful living Bri could know if she is unforced to give up parts of herself to do it .
To that end , On the Come Upexcels when showcasing how difficult it can be to stay reliable to oneself when money is on the seam , and how sluttish it can be to make it in an industry that wants multitude to fit into certain roles . The film also tackles bequest , the additional hurdle Bri must overcome as a young shameful char trying to make it , and how empowering it can be to in full step into one ’s individuality and embracing that which makes the character who she is . Lathan ’s moving picture — from a screenplay by Kay Oyegun , who is working from the novel by Angie Thomas — does n’t all avoid the predictable tropes of a coming - of - age narration , but it is n’t any weak because of it , either .
On the Come Upembraces the usual trappings of the genre while also standing on its own merits , offering the consultation an engaging , entertaining , and well - pace narration that will have one rooting for Bri ’s winner . The film ’s finis is garner , pump - pounding , and emotional , especially after everything Bri goes through , fully sweep up who she is and her journeying . The film might travel a sleep with way , but it ’s also willing to do a few things otherwise on the agency , supply viewers with a genuine , attentive , surefooted , and heartwarming story and character moral force that work on many floor .
Jamila Gray in On the Come Up
On the Come Upreleased in select theaters on September 23 , and the motion picture is useable to stream on Paramount+ . It is 115 minutes long and is range for unassailable nomenclature , sexual references , thematic elements , some violence and drug material .
Da’Vine Joy Randolph and Jamila Gray in On the Come Up
Jamila Gray in On the Come Up
