The streaming numbers are in, and they tell a curious story. Despite a dismal critical reception, Hurry Up Tomorrow, the 2025 psychological thriller starring The Weeknd and Jenna Ortega, has become a talking point – and a viewership driver – for Starz. The film, which landed a meager 14% score on Rotten Tomatoes, has surged into the platform’s Top 3 most-watched titles, proving that negative reviews don’t always equate to a lack of audience interest.
Hurry Up Tomorrow centers on a fictionalized version of Abel Tesfaye, portrayed by Tesfaye himself, a world-famous musician grappling with fame, insomnia, regret, and a recent emotional upheaval. Directed by Trey Edward Shults, the film is inextricably linked to Tesfaye’s album of the same name, a connection that appears to have both fueled the controversy and piqued viewer curiosity. Jenna Ortega co-stars as Anima, an obsessive fan whose pursuit of connection with the musician takes a drastic turn.
The film’s journey from box office disappointment – it earned just $3.3 million upon its initial release – to streaming success is a testament to the power of conversation, even if that conversation is largely negative. As one Collider review noted, the film is an “ambitious but uneven multimedia experiment” that often feels more like an extended music video than a fully realized narrative. The reviewer highlighted Tesfaye’s improved acting performance and praised Ortega’s intensity, but ultimately found the script lacking in depth.
The initial reaction to Hurry Up Tomorrow was, to put it mildly, harsh. Critics derided it as an “ego trip” and a “scrambled fact-meets-fiction feature film” that failed to cohere as a compelling story. The Decider review described it as a “long, dull, navel-gazing ego-trip,” comparing it unfavorably to Prince’s Purple Rain and even his earlier, critically panned film, Under the Cherry Moon. The film’s $6 million box office take underscored the critical consensus.
However, the film’s availability on Starz, alongside VOD platforms like Amazon Prime Video, appears to have given it a second life. It currently sits in the number two spot on Starz’s streaming charts, trailing only The Knife. This resurgence mirrors a broader trend of films finding an audience after underperforming in theaters. Jenna Ortega, in particular, seems to be benefiting from this phenomenon. Her other 2025 horror film, Death of a Unicorn, is currently the number two streaming film on HBO Max worldwide.
The success of Hurry Up Tomorrow on Starz raises questions about the evolving relationship between critical reception and audience engagement. In an era of social media and readily available streaming options, a negative review doesn’t necessarily preclude a film from finding an audience. In fact, controversy can often be a powerful marketing tool, driving viewers to see what all the fuss is about. The film’s connection to The Weeknd’s album undoubtedly played a role in this, attracting fans eager to experience the visual companion piece to the music they already enjoyed.
Shults, known for his visually striking work in films like It Comes at Night, brings a distinct aesthetic to Hurry Up Tomorrow. The film is technically proficient, with strong visuals and a palpable sense of mood. However, as the Collider review points out, these strengths are ultimately undermined by a weak script that fails to provide sufficient depth to its characters or a compelling narrative arc. The film’s repetitive story beats – the protagonist’s stress before a performance, for example – further contribute to its unevenness.
The film’s streaming success also highlights Jenna Ortega’s growing star power. Despite the film’s overall shortcomings, Ortega’s performance is consistently singled out for praise. She is described as the film’s “emotional engine,” bringing intensity and unpredictability to a role that is otherwise underwritten. Her ability to elevate the material, even in a flawed film, is a testament to her talent and a sign of things to come.
Whether Hurry Up Tomorrow represents a genuine turning point for Tesfaye as an actor remains to be seen. His performance is described as “solid” and “more confident” than his previous efforts, but the film itself doesn’t provide a strong showcase for his abilities. The film’s ultimate legacy may be as a curiosity – a fascinating case study in how a critically panned film can find an audience through streaming and the power of conversation. For now, it’s a streaming success story, proving that sometimes, all a movie needs is to be talked about.
