While you can’t go wrong with a big blockbuster movie with over the top action and a high stakes plot, sometimes it’s the more down to earth movies that can be worthwhile. The High Note is one of those movies.

Set in the world of LA’s musical industry, the story follows an overworked personal assistant named Maggie (played by Dakota Johnson) who works for one of the most famous singers in Hollywood, Grace Davis (played by Tracee Ellis Ross) but aspires to accomplish her childhood dream of becoming a music producer. However, when Grace Davis is presented with a career defining choice she and Maggie try to work out a plan to potentially change both their lives forever.

I will be honest, I didn’t expect much from this movie when I went to watch it in Summers Auditorium. But, I am glad that I was thoroughly surprised by just how much I ended up liking the movie. The cast of characters in the movie are all likeable in their own way, and the story did surprise me at some points, and of course the actors played their roles very well.

Overall there isn’t really an antagonist for the movie as the overall issues and problems facing the characters have more to do with their own flaws and the problems with the musical industry itself. It should be a no brainer that in the modern day, Hollywood level fame can come with some serious consequences and the movie addresses this issue in a very believable way. The movie even addresses to some degree much of the issues and problems that come with getting older in an industry that often prefers younger individuals.

The music in the movie was also pretty well done. The entire movie as a whole sort of feels like an ode to the modern 20th to 21st century musical genre that has provided some of the most memorable songs and singers of the modern age.

Overall, I very much enjoyed watching The High Note, it surprised me with how much I ended up liking it, it provided a believable plot, and overall had a very good message that was both believable and inspiring. So if you’re looking for a movie that’s more grounded in the realities of the modern world while also being a fun music filled story then the High Note may just be the right film for you.