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BEYOND THE LIGHTS

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(Romantic melodrama)

Gugu Mbatha-Raw is as convincing as Noni, a gorgeous pop singer in "Beyond The Lights," as she was as a slave in “Belle,” two completely diverse roles.

Gugu plays Noni, a troubled, suicidal young star who is managed by her possessive mother (Minnie Driver), giving her no time to be her own person. She is saved from jumping off a building by Kaz, a handsome cop (Nate Parker), looking like a young Denzel Washington. From that moment on you can see where this romantic melodrama is going.

Can the cop, who has serious plans to enter the world of politics, have a relationship with a superstar who lives in a completely different world?

It is too easy to make comparisons to "The Bodyguard” and we expected Whitney Houston to break in with a powerful "I Will Always Love You,” but Noni has a song of her own about a blackbird that plays heavily into the beginning and end of this contrived, familiar story.

Can Noni and Kaz find happiness in this two-different-worlds plot?

Can Noni make peace with her domineering mother?

It's Hollywood, folks, so if you can accept the corny plot, you will at least enjoy the performances of two young, handsome actors who certainly have a future in the business.

Rated PG-13, with a couple of stormy sex scenes, partial nudity and profanity, plus one extremely suggestive dance routine.

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