Beyond the Lights - C+

Rated PG-13, 102 minutes

Wes’s Grade: C+

Gugu Mbatha-Raw and Nate Parker

In spite of an appealing cast, what’s “Beyond the Lights” is pretty dull, bland

The new romantic drama “Beyond the Lights” isn’t as much fun as a VHI “Behind the Music” special, though the appealing leads and strong supporting cast do their best to make it work. Overstuffed with way too many ballads (just about every scene transition has a different one) and a predictable romance, “Beyond the Lights” is a slick but dull affair. Noni (Gugu Mbatha-Raw from “Belle”) is the music world's latest superstar. But not all is what it seems, and the pressures of fame have Noni on the edge - until she meets Kaz Nicol (Nate Parker of “Red Tails”), a young cop and aspiring politician who's been assigned to her detail. Drawn to each other, Noni and Kaz fall fast and hard, despite the protests of those around them who see more potential in their careers than their love. Directed and written by Gina Prince-Blythewood, the talented director and writer behind “Love and Basketball” and “The Secret Life of Bees,” the mildly entertaining but contrived romantic drama “Beyond the Lights” is a chick flick with a capital “C” unsurprisingly appealing mainly to women. The lovely, vastly talented Mbatha-Raw, an intriguing actress from the affecting, underrated “Belle” earlier this year continues to emerge as one of cinema’s most talented young actresses, and she rises above the stale conventions of the material. The highlight is her stirring version of R&B legend Nina Simone’s “Blackbird” in the last act, which is far better than most of the ballads that fill the film. She and Parker make for a handsome pairing, but the sluggish plotting and the banal dialogue don’t help things, though it’s always nice to see the warm Danny Glover as Kaz’s father and the ice queen herself, Minnie Driver, memorably chewing through scenery as Noni’s wicked stage mother, who seemingly has the best intentions for her. The film moves so slowly that by the time Parker conveniently removes his shirt to help Mbatha-Raw, you'll be rolling your eyes through the yawns. “Beyond the Lights” is a mostly lackluster, well-worn and pretty stale romance, though the lovely, talented Mbatha-Raw is definitely someone to watch.