On The Come Up

"The real missed opportunity here is making full use of the battle rap scenes that form the spine of the story."

"Lathan’s clichéd, visually inert directorial debut On the Come Up is both dishonest and manipulative."

"At best, On the Come Up lacks the voice, craft and perspective to reshape its source material; at worst, it is content - even celebratory - of its own undeveloped nature."

"Gray excels at embodying all of Bri’s conflicts, bringing heart and nuance to a deep, searching character."

"Even though she’s saddled with lumpen lines... Gray lends credibility to (Brianna), who happens to be searching for just that."

"A thoughtful and generous-spirited entertainment..."

"Da’Vine Joy Randolph... (dominates) every scene she has with a bold blend of personality, pathos, wise words, and a streak of generational family pride that’s a mile wide."

"As frank and tough-minded as it is warm and sweet, On the Come Up is a hugely promising debut from (Lathan)."

"Even when it stacks the clichés, becoming a bit too reliant on the requisite melodramatic beats, the film doesn’t lose its heart."

"It is a sincere yet sporadic work that never quite reaches the emotionally reflective heights it is reaching for..."