Hurry Up Tomorrow starring The Weeknd is a psychedelic fever dream that leaves you questioning reality at every turn. Much like A24’s more experimental offerings, this film throws conventional storytelling out the window, replacing it with a kaleidoscope of visuals that might impress in a music video but left me disoriented in a feature-length format.

The film attempts to blur the lines between The Weeknd’s music persona and fictional storyline, creating an autobiographical fantasy that seems more interested in style than substance. While the visual effects create a memorable aesthetic experience, they often mask what feels like a shallow narrative underneath the flashy exterior. Most of the time, you don’t know what’s happening – and I’m not convinced the filmmakers do either.

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Visually, the film embraces excess with its neon-drenched cinematography and ambitious special effects that create a dreamlike atmosphere. The director clearly wanted to create something visually memorable, and on that front, they succeeded. However, style without substance only goes so far, and after the initial visual thrill wears off, there’s little keeping you invested in what happens next.

One saving grace is the soundtrack, which showcases The Weeknd’s musical talents perfectly. The score weaves seamlessly through the narrative chaos, providing an emotional anchor when the story drifts too far into abstraction. If anything, Hurry Up Tomorrow functions better as an extended music video than a cohesive film.

While The Weeknd’s musical genius is on full display throughout the soundtrack, his acting debut falls noticeably flat. There’s a stiffness to his performance that never quite dissolves, even in scenes where his character is supposed to be emotionally vulnerable. The moments where he’s performing music feel authentic and electric, but the dramatic scenes expose his limitations as an actor. Unlike other musicians who’ve successfully crossed over into film, The Weeknd hasn’t yet found a way to translate his stage charisma to the dramatic demands of cinema.

Fans of films like Enter the Void or Climax might appreciate the visual ambition, but even those experimental films had narrative foundations that Hurry Up Tomorrow seems to lack. It reminds me of when other musicians like Madonna or Lady Gaga stepped into acting – some transitions work better than others.

Die-hard fans of The Weeknd will likely find enough to enjoy here, particularly in how the film showcases his music in new and interesting ways. However, general moviegoers expecting a coherent story or compelling character development will leave disappointed. This is very much a film made for an already-converted audience rather than newcomers.

I know this was his first major acting role, but I think he should stick with singing. Sometimes we need to recognize our strengths and limitations, and The Weeknd’s strength clearly remains in his musical artistry rather than his acting abilities.

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Nprtykty, 03/28/2021

Brilliant idea with great information

I’ve been using RunPee for a few years now and it’s basically a requirement of going to the movies for me. The best part of course are the “pee times” that give you cues, synopses and times for when you can pee without missing the most important parts of the movie. There is also information about the credits- length, extras and if there are any extra scenes at the wayyy end. Super helpful to just know that it is or isn’t worth staying. There is a timer function that will buzz your phone when it’s a good time to pee. I also appreciate that the app is very conscientious about it being an app you use in a theater- dark background, all silent alarms etc. I will always enjoy the experience of the theater even if I could watch things at home- but I’ve even used it at home to check for things like after credit scenes or other information too.

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Grade: D+

About The Peetimes: I found 2 Peetimes for you. I highly recommend the 1st one earlier in the movie. It’s a slow starter, so it’s not that confusing. Only use the 2nd Peetime in an emergency.

There are no extra scenes during, or after, the end credits of Hurry Up Tomorrow.

Plot
An insomniac musician encounters a mysterious stranger, leading to a journey that challenges everything he knows about himself.