Hurry Up Tomorrow (2025) Film Review: Experimental self-examination of a singer's internal struggles is bold and magnetic

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Serving as a cinematic companion piece to Abel Tesfaye's (The Weeknd) 2025 album of the same name, this psychological thriller depicts a fictionalised version of the musician as an insomniac on the verge of a mental breakdown following the stress of touring and a difficult breakup.

When he encounters a mysterious stranger and dedicated fan, Anima (Jenna Ortega), he is pulled into an existential odyssey that challenges everything he thought he knew about himself.

Directed by Trey Edward Shults (It Comes At Night, 2017), this electrifying, trippy venture into the psyche of a troubled singer may be a little too ambitious for its own good, however, there is much to admire here despite the overly negative critical response the film is currently receiving at the time of writing. If you are a fan of Abel Tesfaye, or even if you are just a casual listener of his music, there are plenty of things to enjoy here!

Before the movie begins, there is a warning for photosensitive and epileptic viewers, which is certainly addressed for good reason and serves as a key indicator of the tonal experience audiences will be exposed to. There is no denying that the film provides an extraordinary sensory experience, from flashy, loud club/concert sequences and abstract, creative imagery of bold colours, to a combination of surreal original score and evocative tracks from The Weeknd. A disorientating, intense setting of Tesfaye attending a nightclub is worth seeing the movie on the big screen alone, complete with hazy, unfocused camera shots and an enthralling sound design.

A fateful encounter with a mysterious fan causes a singer to question everything he knows

The performances all around are solid, with a particularly committed and surprisingly provocative turn from Abel. The self-reflective focus of the narrative feels like an honest account of the musician's grappling with his inner demons, so much so that the serious tone almost feels like a cry out for help. The fresh focus on male depression and exploration of isolation grounds the lead in reality and humanises the celebrity, despite the dreamlike nature of the movie's imaginative visuals and presentation.

Barry Keoghan is beginning to make a name for himself for his involvement in often strange, unconventional roles in Hollywood, and he provided an interesting role as Tesfaye's unstable, yet supportive manager. Ortega similarly stands out as a force to be reckoned with, playing a complex, unhinged character requiring keen dedication. The enigmatic nature of her background and motivations was definitely intriguing, exploring the dangers of toxic fandoms and unhealthy obsessions with their idols. Towards the movie's climax, there were uncanny parallels to Rob Reiner's Misery (1990), providing some effectively unsettling and sinister moments of confusion and panic.

All in all, despite the film's tendency to sometimes feel overly indulgent and become lost in its ambitious goals, Hurry Up Tomorrow achieves a euphoric, powerful sense of spectacle with a healthy dose of substance thanks to a riveting production design, killer soundtrack, and admirable performances by its three leads.

Check out the trailer for Hurry Up Tomorrow (2025) below, and please let me know your thoughts in the comments!