It stars Dakota Johnson, Tracee Ellis Ross, Kelvin Harrison Jr., Zoë Chao, Bill Pullman, Eddie Izzard, and Ice Cube, and follows a famous singer's personal assistant who wants to become a music producer.
The film was released in select theaters and through premium video on demand (PVOD) in the United States on May 29, 2020, by Focus Features.
Maggie Sherwoode is the longtime personal assistant to legendary R&B singer Grace Davis, who still has a successful touring career despite not releasing new material for a decade.
Grace's egocentric manager, Jack Robertson, believes that her time has passed and she should accept a Las Vegas residency and release live albums rather than record new material.
Grace is displeased when a famous music producer modernizes one of her songs, remixing it with excessive synths and pop elements.
She initially books Dan Deakins to open for Grace before realizing it would be the perfect place for David to perform his songs.
Flora Greeson's screenplay, then titled Covers, was featured in the 2018 Black List, compiling the year's best unproduced scripts.
[3] It was also released in several countries with relaxed COVID-19 theater restrictions, including South Korea, the Netherlands and France, and grossed $1.7 million as of August 28.
[4][18] In its opening weekend, The High Note was the second-most rented film on FandangoNow, third-most from the iTunes Store, and 11th-most on Amazon Prime Video.
The website's critics consensus reads, "The High Note doesn't quite soar above rom-com formula, but audiences seeking some comfort viewing should find themselves solidly in harmony with this well-acted genre entry.
"[27] Owen Gleiberman of Variety said the film "can't decide if it's a behind-the-music-industry drama or a go-for-your-dream fairy tale" and that "the feel-good factor hovers over this movie like a fuzzy bland cloud.