The High Note – Budget Unknown – 1 hour and 53 minutes

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Maggie is late to meet Grace at the tarmac again.  Maggie has been Grace Davis’s assistant for 3 years.  Grace Davis is a Grammy award-winning legend in the music world but her last album didn’t chart as well.  Her long-time manager, Jack, wants Grace to consider doing a Las Vegas residency.  However, Maggie thinks she should record a new album.  During Grace’s meeting with a producer, Maggie opens up and gives her opinion.  Maggie points out everything the producer did wrong and plays Grace a mix she created.  Grace loved it but told Maggie to never pull a stunt like that again.  After Grace walks away, Jack lays into Maggie.  While Jack thought the producer did a horrible job, he doesn’t believe Maggie handled it well.  Jack tells Maggie she ruined any opportunity Grace had to work with that producer in the future.  Feeling defeated, Maggie goes on a shopping trip for Grace and is interrupted by David.  They share some playful banter about music and he invites her to a party at his house later.  When Maggie leaves the store, she sees David get on the stage and sing.  She is regrettably impressed.  At his house party, Maggie listens to some of his music.  While she loves his vocals, she believes the mix is awful.  She lies and tells him she is a producer and can help him produce a great song.  While she is juggling Grace’s life as her assistant, Maggie is juggling David’s life as his producer.  She must do everything to keep the two worlds apart.  If Grace finds out she is moonlighting as a producer, Grace will fire Maggie.  If David learns Maggie is an assistant, she could lose him as a client.  With her future and present all on the line, everything comes full circle to reveal a long con.

With a strong soundtrack, including new and old music alike, this movie will have you bobbing your head and creating mental notes about the music you’ve overlooked.  It may spark some debates about the best song written about California.  While the story does lag in the middle with spoiled diva outbursts and emotional breakdowns, it picks up with a strong reveal near the end.  Along with a decent story, The High Note provides a few good laughs thanks to Gayle and Jack.  This movie comes to one blaring commonality: insecurity kills dreams.  Grace dreams of doing another album but her insecurity about the history of women in music is holding her back.  Maggie is insecure about producing for the first time.  While she has a good ear, she lets Jack’s, Gayle’s and Grace’s opinions of her place hold her back.  David is insecure about his talent.  While it’s easy for him to sing in a room of a dozen people, fear strikes his heart in the studio.  So, what’s holding you back? History, opinions, position, or insecurity.

I give it 3 out of 5 stars

If your ass can’t be on time, be early – Jack

My voice bought me this plane – Grace

I didn’t look like you wanted to have that conversation – Maggie

I like to say the ear of our generation – Katie

Who’s Sam Cooke – David

Is she any good – Gayle

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Blu-rayTM
At Home Premiere