Can You Feel the Beat: The Lisa Lisa Story, on Lifetime

Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam had more chart-toppers than some Gen X’ers might remember from MTV, because many times they scored “club hits” that landed on the “Dance” list. Regardless, the two mega-hits you’re sure to know, were huge, “Head to Toe” and “Lost in Emotion,” both of which went all the way to #1. They also had a song on the Caddyshack II soundtrack, but that “honor” is overlooked during this bio-drama. Lisa (Lisa) Velez tells her story and portrays her mother in Tailiah Breon’s Can You Feel the Beat: The Lisa Lisa Story, which premieres tonight on Lifetime.

Velez’s family struggled with an abusive father and past-due bills, but she had a crazy dream of singing to provide for her family. Through the club scene, Velez meets and auditions for a duo, Mike Hughes and Alex “Spanador” Mosseley, who are looking for a vocalist. The three click and their somewhat shady manager, Rocco approves of her look and sound.

Soon, they sign with a major label, which remains unidentified throughout the TV-movie, where they work with/for/under the even shadier A&R guy, Barry Conner. Technically, Velez’s mother had to sign on her behalf, since she was only fifteen at the time. Of course, that does not stop Rocco and Conner from creeping on her. Fortunately, they hire street-smart Toni Menage as a back-up singer (she would be so closely associated with Velez and Cult Jam, many fans consider her a member of the band).

Eventually, everyone figures out their contract stinks, but at that point Velez suffers a double blow when she is diagnosed with cancer. However, she cannot take time off for treatment, because she already took advances from the label to pay-off her family’s debts.

This is definitely the Lisa Lisa story rather than the Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam story. In fact, Hughes and Mosseley might not always be thrilled by the way they are portrayed—or the fact Menage gets considerably more camera time than they do.

Regardless, Can You Feel the Beat feels very familiar. It also looks conspicuously cheap. This is not a very convincing 1980s period production, not just because of budget limitations. Frankly, Breon and screenwriter Rebecca Murga should have leaned more heavily into 80’s nostalgia. Ed Lover’s appearance as himself might be the best this film does in that respect. Probably, a lot of names were changed and many composites were created for legal reasons, but that means it never comes close to recreating the MTV/Z100 vibe.

As Velez/Lisa, Jearnest Corchado never really looks like a teenager, but she is earnest and relatively convincing during the musical performances. Velez herself gives a heartfelt performance as her mom. Yet, Bre-Z is by far the standout for her tough but vulnerable portrayal of Menage.

On the other hand, all the men are cliched cardboard cutouts, presumably because Breon and Lifetime wanted it that way. That is especially true for Matt Borlenghi’s cartoonish portrayal of Conner, who is so blatantly sleazy, he inadvertently makes Velez look bad, for not being so slow on the up-take.

If you have been waiting for a Lisa Lisa biopic, this one will probably have to last for quite a while. However, anyone hoping for some Eighties nostalgia will be largely disappointed. It just never adequately embraces the fun spirit of the era. Not recommended, Can You Feel the Beat: The Lisa Lisa Story airs tonight (2/1) on Lifetime.