"Hurry Up Tomorrow" is a out of tune self indulgent mess .

Music superstar The Weeknd teams up with acclaimed director  Trey Edward Shults for his big screen debut in Hurry Up Tomorrow from Lionsgate. Shults co-writes the screenplay with Reza Fahim and The Weeknd, which carries the same title as the singer's sixth studio album.

The film finds the singer portraying a fictionalized version of himself.

Abel (The Weeknd) is a global superstar musician who is on the verge of a mental breakdown while facing medical problems with his voice. His best friend and manager, Lee (Barry Keoghan), wants to push him forward and keep the money rolling in. Abel is also struggling with the breakup of his last relationship. To cope, he partakes in the usual rock and roll lifestyle vices.

One would think fame and fortune would give Abel peace, but the stage is no longer a sanctuary. Abel's voice falters during a performance, a terrifying sign that the one thing he thought was untouchable might be slipping away. Then comes Anima (Jenna Ortega)—a volatile presence who refuses to be dismissed as just another fan.

She crashes into his world with raw intensity, demanding answers, challenging his art, and confronting The Weeknd's hollow mythology. What unfolds is a breakdown and a reckoning—an intimate war between persona and person, performance and truth.

No matter the music genre, it's almost a given that a popular artist will jump to the big screen. Often, the best route to go is a biopic with fictitious events thrown in for dramatic effect. I didn't make time to watch The Weeknd's precious project, The Idol, and I'm not a fan of the singer. However, as someone who respects the director, I wanted to give the film a chance and see if Shults could get the best out of the singer.

The film is impressive stylistically, and Shults continues to show his keen eye for details. Sadly, the rest of the film is a disjointed mess. Acting isn't The Weeknd's strong suit; his voice is overly soft, and there were times when his dialogue was supposed to be that of an alpha male, but he came off as a spoiled child. Barry Keoghan does his usual thing, and Jenna Ortega gives off her moody vibes. Their characters are supposed to represent the internal struggle within Abel, but it just doesn't work.

Making matters worse, in the third act, the film tries to impress with flourishes of Misery and Insidious, using The Weeknd's music as a metaphor for celebrity praise or an artist selling out. However, the setup lacks tension for the attempt to work. While I'm sure fans of the singer will overly praise this long-form music video, others will see Hurry Up Tomorrow for what it is: a self-indulgent vanity piece.

Final Grade: D+

Hurry Up Tomorrow is in theatres today.