The musical Been So Long was originally distributed two years ago and is suddenly finding itself being promoted again by Netflix. Starring in this musical are actors Michaela Coel and Arinze Kene (Eastenders).
Netflix reshared this musical at a perfect time as many Michaela Coel fans are frustrated by the actor’s latest Golden Globes snub for her work in I May Destroy You.
People have been vocal about their disapproval, especially in light of the heavily-criticized Netflix Original series Emily in Paris getting a nomination.
Been So Long as described by Netflix:
“Been So Long is a neon soaked, modern day romance set on the streets of London’s musical hot-bed of Camden. We follow Simone (Michaela Coel), a dedicated single mother who, on a rare night on the town is charmed by a handsome yet troubled stranger, Raymond (Arinzé Kene), igniting old and new feelings. Set against the backdrop of an ever-changing city, Been So Long is a fresh take on love, life and moving on.”
Been So Long has a history of adaptations. The movie was based on a musical that ran at the Young Vic theatre in London, and both are adapted from a 1998 play with the same name.
Starring alongside Coel and Kene are actors Joe Dempsie (Game of Thrones), George MacKay (1917), and Shakespeare performer Arsher Ali.
Although it seemingly flew under the radar when first released, this 2018 musical has high ratings and reviews. Rotten Tomatoes critics awarded the movie a 93%, and Metacritic gave it a 74%, both out of a scale of 100.
Among the lead actors’ performances, many critics praised Been So Long’s incorporation of colors and music. They highlighted the movie’s modern, R&B-styled musical score.
Movie critic Guy Lodge from Variety wrote, “It certainly all looks a treat, with d.p. Catherine Derry variously soaking proceedings in the hot pinks of fancy-free nightlife and the hazy lovestruck lilacs of the morning after.”
Been So Long was directed by Tinge Krishnan, who has done a series of lo-fi projects. The movie’s screenplay is by the award-winning playwright Ché Walker, the writer behind both the play and the first musical.
When sharing it on Twitter, Netflix wrote, “Michaela Coel and Arinze Kene star in Been So Long, a resplendent musical all about the power of true love” while attaching the movie’s trailer.
Fans were excited to see the post, although confused by its sporadic relevancy. One fan even commented that “Michaela Coel is a future EGOT.”
Been So Long is available for streaming on Netflix.