The reason why "Star," the movie that will debut on December 14, has been compared with "Empire" is that both are aired on Fox and directed by the same director. Lee Daniels. The director is known to produce TV series that feature melodrama, social misfits and unexpected twists.
This is exactly what they will find when "Star" begins to roll on television screens. Fox relates that it is about a social outcast named Star (Jude Demorest) who leaves her dreadful foster family to search for her sister. She discovers that her sister, Simone (Brittany O'Grady) also lives in a similar wretched condition so both travel to Atlanta to try a new environ.
They team up with another member of the cast Alexandra (Ryan Destiny) to form a dance and singing group. They ended up living with Carlotta Brown (Queen Latiffa), the hair salon manager who takes care of their needs.
Benjamin Bratt also appears in the film as Jahil, the manager of the group. He gives an outstanding depiction of his role as professional on the brink of seeing his career go down the drain and experiencing fits of helplessness in his situation.
The story sometimes veers towards other subplots that are difficult to follow. There is murder mystery that seems to be out of place. The singing scenes are not as pleasant as can be expected from a film that has a musical theme like "Star."
As pointed out in Variety, the film also has guest stars Lenny Kravitts, Naomi Campbell and Tyrese Gibson. Campbell plays as the mother of the mischievous Alexandra and played some heavy dramatic scenes in the movie.
The film needs more coherent story lines since there are times when the action slows down and lose momentum. The scene where Carlotta is conferring with her pastor needs more polishing since it somehow derails the flow of the plot. With its talented director Lee Daniels, fans know that "Star" can be developed into a likeable and favorite TV film series.
