movie review: aaliyah: the princess of R&B

I think Lifetime should opt out of doing biopics unless it deals with some stylized murderer or serial killer. I don't think music biopics are their thing and they proved that last night. Aaliyah: The Princess of R&B which is based on the book Aaliyah: More Than A Woman aired last night on Lifetime. Before the movie's inception, there had been a storm of controversy from everything to who should play Aaliyah to Lifetime being involved in the movie's depiction. If that wasn't enough gossip maven Wendy Williams became executive producer. With Wendy being attached, we were sure we were going to get the goods but we got that and then some. What we got was a lot of bad acting, inaccurate storylines(to viewers anyway), and wrong choice of actors. None of the actors looked remotely close to who they were portraying. Actress Alexandra Shipp doesn't look like Aaliyah at first glance though I would say they look like they could have come from the same tribe. The depiction of R. Kelly was laughable at best and not only he but Alexandra(Aaliyah) got roasted on Twitter. The movie starts with Aaliyah appearing on Star Search at 10 years old and then later meeting Gladys Knight and performing on stage with her in Vegas. Then it jumps to her uncle Barry Hankerson arranging a meeting with R. Kelly who wasn't a fan of Aaliyah's early on but eventually fell for her as we learned via the public. The most interesting scene in the movie is when Aaliyah and R. Kelly eventually wed and broke the news to her parents. Whether or not the situation went down like that or not, the acting was just horrid. All the actors were bad. It just wasn't believable. I just feel like Lifetime or its producers should of just done a movie loosely based on Aaliyah's life. The family already didn't want the movie made nor did anyone close to her. They refused to license her music therefore Alexander sung the songs and her voice wasn't bad but it didn't remind me of Aaliyah's either. After the dissolution of her marriage to R. Kelly, Aaliyah signs to Atlantic Records and begins working with Timbaland and Missy Elliott. Neither portrayal of them looked accurate either. Missy Elliott was much bigger during that time and instead they casted what Missy Elliott looks now. Then it jumps to when Aaliyah was dating Damon Dash shortly before her death before her untimely passing. In the past Aaliyah's own family wanted to make a movie then for some unknown reason they halted production. I do think its best if someone from her family does the movie or has some input in the movie because it would be more accurate. I give the movie * out of ***** stars for various reasons. I think in the future Lifetime should leave the biopics to VH1 or the big screen at least. In a strange twist of irony, VH1 aired their biopic of TLC during Aaliyah's movie proving that VH1 did it right!