Beats(2019) May 2026

In 2019, two distinct films titled Beats were released, each exploring music culture and youth in different urban settings. One is a Scottish coming-of-age drama directed by Brian Welsh, and the other is a Netflix original set in Chicago directed by Chris Robinson.

: It explores the "burnout" of young male friendship as the two boys face diverging futures—one moving to a "better" neighborhood and the other stuck in a cycle of poverty and abuse. Beats(2019)

The Netflix film Beats is a coming-of-age drama set in the South Side of Chicago. It centers on August Monroe, a reclusive teenage music prodigy, and Romelo Reese, a struggling former producer. In 2019, two distinct films titled Beats were

: After witnessing his sister's murder, August suffers from severe PTSD and agoraphobia. Romelo, working as a school security guard, discovers August's talent and helps him find his voice through hip-hop. The Netflix film Beats is a coming-of-age drama

: The film is set against the backdrop of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994, which effectively banned raves featuring "repetitive beats".