I’m not entirely sure what to make of Hurry Up Tomorrow. Directed and edited by Trey Edward Shults, from a screenplay by him, Abel Tesfaye (better known as the artist The Weeknd) and Reza Fahim, the film is inspired by Tesfaye’s experience and serves as a companion piece to his album of the same name, which released earlier this year. I’m a fan of some of The Weeknd’s music but confess I didn’t like The Idol, the HBO series that was canceled in 2023 shortly after it debuted.

To that end, the music in the film is great, but Hurry Up Tomorrow also oscillates between a vanity project and a deeper exploration of trauma and abuse. There are moments of clarity in the film — the way it’s sH๏τ and edited speaks of a chaotic mental state that also underscores feelings of being overwhelmed — but it’s also not as deep as it thinks it is. Just when the subtleties begin to take shape, the film very literally starts explaining itself to us in its attempt to dig into Tesfaye’s (who plays a fictionalized version of himself) psyche.

Hurry Up Tomorrow’s Character Development Is Barely There

It’s a very slow build towards something more intriguing, but short-lived. The story very nearly goes in circles before settling in. Repeтιтion of Abel, who is revealed to have been abusive to an ex-girlfriend who is no longer talking to him, leaving her voicemails or calling her. It’s supposed to build tension but I felt more like I was dropped into this singer’s life with no real development at any point after.

I never once felt connected to any of the characters, though Jenna Ortega’s performance, in particular, stands out because she goes all-in. It’s a committed performance that hangs on the mystery and allure of her character, who draws Abel out of his contained music industry shell. Barry Keoghan (Dunkirk), as Abel’s best friend Lee, is also great in his more limited role, feeding into Abel’s glamorous lifestyle. Otherwise, there’s a sense of detachment that pervades the film and mars the viewing experience.

While the confusion from the initial introduction of Anima (Wednesday’s Jenna Ortega) becomes clear as the film approaches its end, the film requires a level of patience for the first hour before things actually pick up. That is to say Hurry Up Tomorrow didn’t need to be an hour and 45 minutes long. It isn’t long before intrigue becomes exhaustion. Looking down at my watch every so often isn’t a good sign of the movie’s ability to maintain engagement.

Hurry Up Tomorrow Has A Lot Of Style Though

The plot may be super thin but the film at least has some style. Chayse Irvin’s cinematography is nice to watch, with well-placed camera angles and sharp close-ups that capture more of the feeling of the film than the performances or story actually do. Shults’s editing is what largely keeps the film afloat. It’s hypnotic and often overwhelming, revealing Abel’s inner world that feels isolated and more vulnerable than what he projects. It’s a cacophony of pounding music, a mixture of lights and blurred images that merge and play with our nerves throughout the film.

If Hurry Up Tomorrow could live on its aesthetic alone, it would be a winning film. It’s not a prolonged music video exactly, but certain moments could come off that way. Ultimately, there’s a self-seriousness to the whole thing that is hard to ignore. It’s certainly a pᴀssion project for Tesfaye, whose acting here is at least a step up from The Idol, but it’s not a film that has much meaning outside of its attachment to his personal journey and music. Caring about the story will likely depend on how much one knows going into the film, which is not great.

And yet, Hurry Up Tomorrow isn’t awful. It stays at the surface, really afraid to interrogate any deeper than required, but it has its moments and aesthetic flair. It probably won’t hold up, but there’s a turning point in the story that actually made me want to find out what happens to Abel and what it might mean for him moving forward (despite an abrupt ending). It’s just too bad the rest of the film isn’t as appealing as the final 25 minutes.

Hurry Up Tomorrow is in theaters on May 16.