Rainey Qualley Puts Artistry on the Line in Surface-Level Music Drama
Many pop stars have gone through thick and thin at the hands of labels who had full control of their earlier discography, leaving them no choice but to re-record their songs to, in a sense, reclaim them. Off the Record — by stuntperson-turned-director Kristen Foe — explores the casualties of artists being led by blind faith, trusting the first major industry folk who cross their path, offering them a chance to record an album and go on tour.
Led by Rainey Qualley (whose singer-songwriter prowess is evidenced under the name Rainsford), Foe’s directorial debut discusses the nuances of music autonomy by blurring the lines between romance and creative license. With its protagonist falling for a washed-up rock star, who offers her the opportunity to get signed by his label, the film shows the uphill battle that she endures after accepting the terms and conditions without consulting a lawyer first. Although this subject remains pertinent in the music industry, Off the Record‘s take on the matter only scratches the surface, with no plausible insight into the ways artists can successfully escape binding contracts.
What Is ‘Off the Record’ About?
A few minutes in, viewers are introduced to Astor Grey (Qualley), a rising talent performing at a live music bar. As is customary in the digital era, a video of her circulates online, attracting the attention of well-known rocker Brandyn Verge (Ryan Hansen). Soon enough, he slides into her DMs, and they meet for a romantic night out that ends with the two of them lying by the fireplace. It is then that Astor picks up a guitar and breaks out into a song, one that she’s composed herself. Drawn in by her voice and knack for songwriting, Brandyn sees in her the potential to be the next star to come out of his record label. As his relationship with Astor intensifies, he tells her to let go of her side hustles and focus on making her first album, which he promises to help her with if she agrees to him becoming her manager.
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Ryan Hansen also stars in the music industry romantic drama available on demand and digital in May.
When he tosses “a standard contract” her way, Astor is so excited to get into the studio and make music that she signs it without a thorough read. The red flags emerge when Brandyn goes from loving to a downright douchebag, sending her threatening text messages whenever she’s out with friends, calling her names, and worse of all, performing her own song to a live audience without giving her due credit. As her feelings for him turn to disdain, the main character requests the assistance of her former manager (played by Rebecca De Mornay) to find a way out of a record deal that keeps her from having the rights over her music.
Rainey Qualley and Ryan Hansen’s Turbulent Romance Has No Build-Up
Off the Record‘s main fault is how fast it sets up Astor and Brandyn’s turbulent romance. After going on a single date, the pair seemed to be head-over-heels with each other, ignoring the fact that Brandyn is still resentful of his ex-wife and is a perpetual drunkard. His misogynistic tendencies are apparent even before they begin to collaborate in the studio, which makes Astor’s decision to take his word over her own manager less believable. Given how abruptly their relationship is introduced, it’s hard for viewers to feel empathy when the protagonist comes to realize that her boyfriend is, in reality, a devil in disguise.
The film’s script, penned by Foe, makes some of the interactions between Qualley and Hansen come off as dry rather than natural. The issue isn’t tied to the dialogue itself, but more because the editing doesn’t give characters room to be introspective. Due to its fast pace, the emotional beats don’t land successfully. Instead of letting Brandyn’s toxicity hang in the air, the film brushes through several moments when he is borderline abusive towards Astor. Sometimes, focusing on a subtle gesture or allowing for there to be lingering silence makes for a more purposeful viewing experience than relying on what is on the page.
‘Off the Record’ Only Scratches the Surface When It Comes to the Powers at Play in the Music Industry
When Astor seeks Kate’s (De Mornay) assistance to regain the rights to her debut album, one would hope that the film would spend more time focusing on the legalities of her agreement with Brandyn’s label. What in turn happens is the character has a brief meeting with an exec from a different label, who demonstrates barely any interest in helping her get out of this situation. With no money to pay the bills, Astor just caves in to Brandyn’s proposition, instead of devising a plan with legal counsel to ensure that he won’t dissuade her further. Given how sensitive this matter is within the music industry, diving deeper into Astor’s attempts to regain ownership of her songs would’ve been more informative and captivating to watch. Not to mention the missed opportunity to focus on Astor’s bond with Kate, who is underutilized, considering the fact that she is supposed to be the main character’s saving grace.
Although Off the Record is well-intentioned, it misses more beats than not. Still, it would be unfair to say that it doesn’t have its merits. Olivia Sui and Julia Campbell, who play Astor’s best friend Noelle and her mother Rosemary, make their supporting performances count by adding warmth and humor to a story marked by an artist’s struggle to regain her music autonomy. Another one of the film’s strengths is Qualley’s real-life connection to music. Her original songs and covers (particularly her rendition of LP‘s “Lost on You”) will stick with you far longer than the project’s runtime, making it hard not to want to give the rest of her repertoire a listen.
Off the Record will be released in theaters and on demand on May 2.
Kristen Foe’s directorial debut doesn’t dig deep into the intricacies of the music industry.
- Release Date
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May 2, 2025
- Runtime
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95 Minutes
- Director
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Kirsten Foe
- Writers
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Kirsten Foe
- Rainey Qualley’s music helps to keep ‘Off the Record’ engaging.
- The supporting cast adds warmth and humor to the film.
- Astor and Brandyn’s turbulent romance lacks a proper build-up.
- Rainey Qualley and Ryan Hanson’s performances are impacted by a wordy script and fast-paced editing.
- The film doesn’t explore the pitfalls of Astor’s binding contract with Brandyn’s label.
