Carmen: A Hip Hopera

PG-13

2001

1 hr. 13 min.

Musical

List

50%

6 Reviews

Tomatometer

70%

5,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

An engaged Philadelphia policeman (Mekhi Phifer) falls in love with a beautiful woman (Beyoncé Knowles) while dealing with a corrupt superior (Mos Def).

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pariss

I really dont get what point the movie is trying to get across but its fine i guess

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

01/01/24

Full Review

Audience Member

This is Beyoncé's film debut into Hollywood! She stars next to Mekhi Fifer and Mos Def An adaptation of Georges Bizet opera but a modern hip hop version filled with an African American cast with Missy Elliot producing Hill is a police officer in Philadelphia Hill doesn't want to leave the force despite his fiancé pointing out the bad stuff that comes with the job She thinks he's living in a fantasy world, bad things happen in real life from shootings to potentially making wives widowers In a nightclub Carmen is an aspiring actress but the current superior officer Miller might prove to be an obstacle Hill and she fall in love and so begins a complicated romance where Carmen puts all of her dreams on hold for Hill but he's very grounded where he is When they do live out their dream in Los Angeles it's anything but easy particularly for Carmen, when it comes to auditioning it's clear in Hollywood even the most talented black actresses get the most demeaning labeled roles Beyoncé is such a likable presence and her rapping doesn't disappoint, Fifer makes the police role believable, the songs are fresh fitting the scenes' developing These days this movie could be seen as an anti-police, prison abolitionist manifesto or as a reductive tale of gold diggers and homewreckers, or as a remake ahead of its time which paved the way for another “hip hopera” which changed Broadway forever Carmen: A Hip Hopera is a reminder that Beyoncé really has been about the culture since she first hit the scene This is a Black production through and through, and she was at the center of it all — just like she's always been Despite some cringeworthy moments and odd filmmaking choices this is a fun production helmed by an African American cast with some toe tapping hip hop numbers with an array of great black artists

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

05/09/23

Full Review

Audience Member

This is Beyoncé's film debut into Hollywood! She stars next to Mekhi Fifer and Mos Def An adaptation of Georges Bizet opera but a modern hip hop version filled with an African American cast with Missy Elliot producing Hill is a police officer in Philadelphia Hill doesn't want to leave the force despite his fiancé pointing out the bad stuff that comes with the job She thinks he's living in a fantasy world, bad things happen in real life from shootings to potentially making wives widowers In a nightclub Carmen is an aspiring actress but the current superior officer Miller might prove to be an obstacle Hill and she fall in love and so begins a complicated romance where Carmen puts all of her dreams on hold for Hill but he's very grounded where he is When they do live out their dream in Los Angeles it's anything but easy particularly for Carmen, when it comes to auditioning it's clear in Hollywood even the most talented black actresses get the most demeaning labeled roles Beyoncé is such a likable presence and her rapping doesn't disappoint, Fifer makes the police role believable, the songs are fresh fitting the scenes' developing These days this movie could be seen as an anti-police, prison abolitionist manifesto or as a reductive tale of gold diggers and homewreckers, or as a remake ahead of its time which paved the way for another "hip hopera" which changed Broadway forever Carmen: A Hip Hopera is a reminder that Beyoncé really has been about the culture since she first hit the scene This is a Black production through and through, and she was at the center of it all — just like she's always been Despite some cringeworthy moments and odd filmmaking choices this is a fun production helmed by an African American cast with some toe tapping hip hop numbers with an array of great black artists

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

01/22/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Visiting the Big Apple to perform in an orchestra music festival for the high school kid that I was. Played saxophone. Saw Carmen during the trip. The opera version. Trying hard to be cool, pretending boredomness, « fell asleep », missed the entire play. Struggling years for me. Denying my true gay persona. I was surprised when I found out that there was a Carmen version featuring the Queen B. Miss Beyonce Knowles-Carter. Had to see it. Already shook by the opening credits : Mos Def, Wyclef Jean, Lil' Bow Wow? What is this movie? An MTV production. Of course, It includes an over use of those music video effects straight from 2000. The entrance of Beyonce is a big miss. So is her death, later in the movie. Her style on point though. Jessica Rabbit fashion. The story goes too fast. Drama like a telenovela. Beyonce arrives in a bar where cops like to hang out (who wanna go to that bar anyway?), seduce a cop in company of a young lady that was about to become his wife. A minute later, he's blind for Beyonce. She provokes a fight, punches a cop and gets arrested. The seduced cop is supposed to take her to prison. He let her stop at her place after begging to go drop her grandmother's ring. They fuck. He wakes up in her apartment, the cop lieutenant by his side, ready to arrest him. His wife there to throw some liquid over his hot body. No more Beyonce in the apartment. The now ex cop is in prison sharing is cell with a 13 year old Lil Bow Wow (they put a kid in jail?). That dude can't stop thinking about Carmen. Ex wife erased out of his mind. They write to each other, love letters. Out of the prison, first thing in the morning, Beyonce ask him to move to LA the same day. There, their first fight happens. New twist, she is mad and doesn't care anymore about him cause he won't move to LA the same day. She goes to LA find another guy. He go crazy in love. The rest is history. The Carmen character is not likable. The music is surprisingly good. Had too many expectations about that Wyclef/Beyonce duet. Probably one of the worst moments of the movie. Everything is shot in a cheap studio with bad lightning. How long was the dude in prison? And why does everyone wanna start a long term relationship with Carmen after only looking her in the eyes? Beyonce's acting is bad. Especially when she tries to show emotion or try to die. I recommend this movie. Purrr.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

01/29/23

Full Review

tj g

me and my sister love this moives i see this moives 1000 time

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

Audience Member

I love Beyonce but this was a terrible movie.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

02/15/23

Full Review

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Robert Townsend

Director

Beyoncé

Carmen Brown

Mekhi Phifer

Hill

Yasiin Bey

Lt. Miller

Troy Winbush

Sgt. Tony Porter

Sam Sarpong

Nathaniel

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43%

88%

Sing

86%

83%

Chicago

TRAILER

for Chicago

56%

69%

Tap

20%

39%

Shout

18%

74%

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Nell Minow

Movie Mom

Rated: C-

Apr 2, 2011

Full Review

Kathleen Newman-Bremang

Refinery29

As much as there are flashes of brilliance in Carmen: A Hip Hopera, there is also the mess.

May 10, 2021

Full Review

B.L. Panther

The Spool

CARMEN: A HIP HOPERA captures a lot of cultural shifts happening at once.

May 10, 2021

Full Review

Justin Brown

Medium Popcorn

The 2000s just stayed pumping out mediocrity...musicals on screen just don't work for me.

Rated: 1/5

Aug 25, 2020

Full Review

Brandon Collins

Medium Popcorn

The songs are just terrible. It seems like there was a song every 72 seconds. The lyrics were so bad...

Rated: 1/5

Aug 25, 2020

Full Review

Kevin N. Laforest

Apollo Guide

A refreshing movie with plenty of solid performances and catchy rap numbers.

Rated: 77/100

Oct 12, 2002

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Synopsis

An engaged Philadelphia policeman (Mekhi Phifer) falls in love with a beautiful woman (Beyoncé Knowles) while dealing with a corrupt superior (Mos Def).

Director: Robert Townsend
Executive Producer: Michael Elliot, Loretha Jones
Production Co: Miramax
Rating: PG-13, TV-14
Genre: Musical
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Jan 23, 2009

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