Love Beats Rhymes

Coco and Mahlik's scenes are the only ones that seem to take place on earth. Everything else is from some Maya Angelou-inspired Mars.

With a plot as predictable as a haiku, RZA and screenwriter Nicole Jefferson Asher would have done better to embrace the strangeness.

There's not much added to the static thump of clich in "Love Beats Rhymes" to give this tale of a struggling young female rapper-poet any special life.

Despite its frequently clunky dramaturgy, the film makes some interesting points while providing an excellent showcase for Banks' considerable onscreen charisma.

RZA's direction lacks visual personality, but he keeps the narrative moving and elicits strong performances from his cast.

[A] formulaic hip-hop romance.

This movie overall is just ok, not outstanding in any way but it was nice to see a story like this with a black woman as the hero so it wasn't a complete waste.

Music artists Azealia Banks and RZA both find their footing in film, with this portrait of a young, gifted and black wannabe female rapper.

What keeps you watching are the characters, their character development and the brewing romance between Derek and Coco that in an unexpected plot twist; suddenly gets complicated.