There’s little said here about violence or the arts that you can’t find in an after-school special, and the music isn’t half as ingenious or impactful as the plot demands. Robinson has an eye for smeary, hazy afternoon sunlight that gives “Beats” a memorable visual signature. But his attempts to represent August’s condition with camera trickery fall flat.

https://www.pulse.com.gh/the-new-york-times/entertainment/beats-review-in-chicago-the-song-remains-the-same/tn2p501