When I first heard that an Aaliyah biopic was being made, I was so excited I starting bouncing off the walls. Growing up Aaliyah was and is today one of my all time favorite R&B singers. I wasn't too familiar with the genre growing up and of course being young I haven't developed any musical abilities. It was thanks to Aaliyah why I fell in love with the R&B genre.
This Biopic was utterly a DISASTER. I really can't describe it in any other words. Here are a few reasons just off the top of my head...
1. The songs
Aaliyah's family did not sell the rights of her music to the producers. So Alexandra Shipp (Actress who played Aaliyah) had to sing all the songs. You cannot have a biopic without the original songs. It is like making hot chocolate without the chocolate. It just doesn't work. Shipp is a talented actress and singer but her voice is nothing close to Aaliyah and with films like these you need to be close as possible. Another issue with the songs is the selection. Instead of Aaliyah's most popular songs like Try Again and One in a Million Shipp ended up doing covers like Save the Best by Vanessa Williams and Marvin Gaye's Got to Give it Up. Again why was this film made?
2. Casting
Can we please discuss some of the casting they did for this film? Missy Elliot, like seriously what the heck were the casting directors thinking. And the actor who played Aaliyah's brother Rashad who looked a lot like Drake and happens to be an actor on Degrassi just like Drake was. I was shaking my head so much I gave myself a migraine.
3. Wendy Williams
I don't personally have any issues with Wendy. I do like her talk show. But she really didn't have any business being a part of this project. It was pretty clear before Aaliyah died that Wendy was not one of Aaliyah's favorite people. So it just kinda seems she is just monopolizing on Aaliyah and not really honoring her true memory.
4. R. Kelly
I was glad that they portrayed the relationship between R. Kelly and Aaliyah since it was such a big part of not only her personal life but professional life (Age ain't Nothin But a Number- one of her biggest hits). However they way they portrayed it made it a little too heartbreaking and not really focusing on the fact that Aaliyah was only 15 when she married the 27 year old R&B legend. And not to mention he's had a thing for underage girls for quite away. It seemed too Romeo and Juliet.
Honestly I could go on and on but who has the time. Although the film was pretty bad I did enjoy how they portrayed Aaliyah's relationship with her family who she was very close too especially her grandmother which reminds me of my relationship with mine. Overall I really do hope someday someone will make a decent and honorable movie about Aaliyah. She was truly a legend and this film just doesn't do her justice. The full film is available on YouTube in case you missed it on Lifetime.
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