With many iconic songs, Abel Tesfaye, otherwise known as The Weeknd, is an artist known for many themes such as heartbreak. Making a film in relation to an album is a new frontier in comparison to just music videos. With a messy flow, cringeworthy scenes and insufficient thematic work, “Hurry Up Tomorrow,” is a film with a good idea but poor execution.

FC1 The film was directed by Trey Edward Shults. It stars Abel Tesfaye as a fictional version of himself, The Weeknd, Jenna Ortega as Anima, and Barry Keoghan as Lee.

The plot revolves around Abel struggling mentally as he deals with a breakup, losing his voice and an obsessive fan.

The soundtrack mainly consists of songs by The Weeknd, with some such as “Blinding Lights,” “Open Hearts” and “Gasoline.”

A dramatized re-telling of the events leading up to the concert in September 2022 where Tesfaye lost his voice from the beginning of the film. While this happens, Anima, who is a fan of his, is on the run after burning her house down. 

An intent of sympathy for Tesfaye is done through him weeping and desperately wanting to contact his ex-girlfriend. Additionally comes the unhealthy coping mechanisms he utilizes such as heavy drinking and partying with no satisfaction.

Actions like these reveal that Tesfaye, despite his sorrow, is the reason for why the relationship ended. Such evidence besides coping is when he yells at a mirror, saying “I am a legend, and you are nobody,” as he attempts to get out of the blue headspace and be ready to perform.

Once the climax of the loss of voice arrives, the movie falls on a downward spiral, which is unfortunate since the climax is rather early compared to typical films. 

The realism flips by the film becoming a psychological horror movie as Tesfaye has nightmarish visions reflective of his mental state. One scene is where a shadowy figure drowns Tesfaye as he is mourning both the concert and his lost love. While a level of realism remains, this change in tones makes the film seem like it’s two different movies. 

After Anima meets Tesfaye, the film flips to a cheesy lovey dovey romantic sequence that breaks once she knocks him out with a liquor bottle after an argument. 

Film flipping returns with the movie returning to a darker tone as she attempts to force him to let his emotions from the heartbreak using his music and after tying him to a bed. This sequence drags out the runtime, leaving the audience feeling the same way as Tesfaye as he desperately wants to escape Anima.

Once Tesfaye lets it all out, the film returns to reality through a concert, flipping the flow and tone again.

While the common themes are heartbreak and dealing with the mental and emotional impact of it, they are lost in translation due to the storyline which is all over the place. 

Tesfaye is a great singer, but resorting to suddenly singing acapella rather than talking things out comes out as laughable and unnecessary rather than meaningful. 

Additionally, going from the realism of concerts to nightmare scenes and then to a hostage situation breaks the film’s flow and exudes a sense of different movies rather than one.

Anima holding Tesfaye hostage is a sequence that should not have been as lengthy as it was, and was made worse through the back-and-forth yet forgettable banter between both characters. 

The constant amount of visible distress by Tesfaye such as when he first yells at Anima is another example of the unintentional humor brought out through scenes that are supposed to be serious. 

It’s really telling how the most entertaining and memorable part of the film was all the events that ultimately concluded with the concert sequence making everything after seem unnecessary.

All in all, “Hurry Up Tomorrow,” is an underwhelming film. It’s unfortunate how the film’s strongest components wrap up before the film even reaches the middle of its runtime, leading to a sluggish test of patience that amounts to something, yet nothing once the credits finally roll. Mental health is affected by hardships and The Weeknd has a great discography, but this movie could’ve been something better than how it turned out. 

“Hurry Up Tomorrow” is released in theaters on Friday, May 16.

Copy edited by Manuel Nocera