Bri’s first attempt at rap battling refereed by local DJ Hype (an energetic Mike Epps) doesn’t pan out - she basically makes a run for it, and who could blame her - she’s soon thrust into the spotlight. “On the Come Up” Paramount+īri’s father, Lawrence AKA “Lawless,” was one of the best rappers Garden Heights has ever known - and that’s saying something, because as we travel around the neighborhood, it becomes clear that the Heights has plenty of rap talent, from rising stars like Milez (Justin Martin) and Infamous Millz (Lil Yachty) to those that may never be discovered - and Bri wants to be just like her dad. The film only works if we believe that Bri is a massive star and a generational talent: Gray is more than up to the task. “On the Come Up” rests on her more-than-capable shoulders, and Gray ably maneuvers between all of Bri’s understandably big emotions as she attempts to mount a career while also dealing with her family, her school, her friends, and more. Lathan is just as good on the screen as she is behind the camera, but she smartly shines the brightest light on the film’s breakout star: Jamila Gray, who plays 16-year-old Bri through most of the film. Lathan cast herself in the film’s trickiest role and while Bri might be most overtly obsessed with her dad’s legacy, it’s the fraught bond between Bri and Jada that serves as the film’s heart. ‘Chile ’76’ Review: A Rich Housewife Becomes a Reluctant Spy in Manuela Martelli’s Shrewd Pinochet-Era Thriller But this fairy tale doesn’t have a happy start, as we meet young Bri (played in a short opening sequence by Noa Dior Rucker), her brother Trey, and mother Jada (Lathan) during an evening that Bri will later explain effectively ended her innocence.
“On the Come Up” embraces its fairy-tale feeling early on, opening with a title card that tells us it’s set “somewhere in America,” before zooming in on the fictional, mostly Black community of Garden Heights. She doesn’t need to worry, because Lathan has a bright future ahead of her, thanks to a keen eye for casting, performance, and telling stories that matter.īased on the best-selling YA novel by Angie Thomas, “ On the Come Up” follows a rising rap star intent on making a name for herself while honoring her late father.
She is likely well-acquainted with the pressures and pleasures of having great things expected of her because of her name and lineage. The veteran performer is the child of both another actress (Eleanor McCoy) and another filmmaker (Stan Lathan).
It’s fitting that Emmy-nominated actress Sanaa Lathan is making her feature directorial debut with a drama about the power of legacy.
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