I realize Dakota Johnson has been on-screen for a while now, but having not seen any of the “Fifty Shades of Grey” franchise or her more recent films, I was unfamiliar with her work. Watching her in “The High Note” was a pleasant surprise: I was very drawn into her and her performance. There is something about her comfort onscreen — it probably has to do with the Hollywood pedigree. She lights up the screen as Maggie, the long-suffering assistant to legendary singer Grace Davis, who is played by Tracee Ellis Ross in a role that reminds us she is Diana Ross’ daughter. Ross, who is so great on “Black-ish,” plays a stereotypical diva superstar. The singer is mean and self-centered, and that’s in part due to the fact that she hasn’t written and recorded an original song in many years. Her manager (Ice Cube ) is excited to book her a Las Vegas residency à la Celine Dion. Unbeknownst to everyone, Maggie is an aspiring producer who has done a mix of a Grace Davis album on her own time.

The film is directed by Nisha Ganatra, and like her last film, “Late Night,” she mines intergenerational and interracial relationships between women. Unfortunately, the exposition takes too long and the film’s big reveal happens too quickly and then everything is tied up in a bow. The best scenes are the ones that deviate from more conventional, clichéd territory — a real highlight comes when Grace talks about the pressures of being an over-40 black female singer. She is scared about her future in the biz — or lack thereof. That’s the heart of the film. It’s not easy being a woman of color who is a performer, especially one who has been successful for so long. Once Grace’s façade is pierced, she becomes so much more interesting, as does the film.

“The High Note” is now available On Demand. Flora Greeson penned the script.