FilmSnobReviews

Title: The Sun is Also a Star
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Director: Ry Russo-Young
Starring: Yara Shahidi, Charles Melton, John Leguizamo
Runtime: 1 hr 40 mins

What It Is: Natasha is the daughter of Jamaican immigrants. Immigrants who, following a raid are scheduled to be sent back to Jamaica. Natasha is fighting the entire situation seeking the help of lawyer Jeremy Martinez (Leguizamo). Meanwhile, young and somewhat ambitious Daniel (Melton) is on his way to a meeting with alumni from a college he’d like to attend. Whether by destiny or serendipity the two young people meet, but with deportation impending what will become of the soon to be star-crossed lovers.

What We Think: So while the sun is also a star this movie is also rather bland. Yara Shahidi and Charles Melton have good chemistry but they’re let down by a bad script full of the expected tropes. It’s almost as if Russo-Young and the screenwriters just sort of saw the book and didn’t really aim to raise the material. This isn’t to say, as I mentioned that this is a bad movie it’s just one hampered by the gigantic anchor that is this mess of a script. I look at the performances here and look forward to more from Charles Melton specifically. He is also a star.

Our Grade: D+, While it really tries to make you cry it just doesn’t have the gusto to go. Instead, you feel angry for having been manipulated by a weak film. One that’s hubris lay in it’s “romance”. A romance that has a little chemistry but not enough to grip longer than a split second. I don’t and can’t really recommend this one. Despite wanting to offer you, folks, a bit of romance in your life. Look elsewhere instead! If you want a list lemme know, I know plenty of them.