Since its premiere on the Lifetime network on November 15, the biopic on the late R&B princess has received a lot of negative reviews, and even criticism from Aaliyah's family and fans protesting the release of the film.
Alexandra Shipp who plays the titular role of the burgeoning 90s singer has received negative feedback on her "one-dimensional" portrayal of Aaliyah. Fans have complained of Shipp having a "soft falsetto" which would pale in comparison to the real thing.
In addition to this, the said biopic was not granted the rights to Aaliyah's music so none of the late singers songs were featured in the film. Lifetime also received a lot of criticism from the fans who complained about the actors' "lack of resemblance to the original actors as well as soulless acting." Producer Timbaland, who was featured in the movie, has taken to social media to express his grievances on the way he was portrayed in the film. Timbaland has called the film, "bullsh*t"
Despite this, the two-hour biopic which is based on Christopher John Farley's 2001 biography, Aaliyah: More than a Woman, managed to reel in a huge viewership when premiered on November 15. According to Deadline, the biopic managed to draw in 3.2 million viewers, 1.7 million of these viewers were of ages 18-49.
The film has went viral online, particularly on Twitter. A great number of disgruntled followers have expressed their distaste and unhappiness over the biopic. Apparently celebrity biopics such as this one can certainly stir up a lot of issues online.
The R&B singer was a rising star in the music industry when her career was cut short when her plane crashed in the Bahamas on August 23, 2001 at the tender age of 22.
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