Musical theater is good. Pop music trying to be musical theater… not so much.

Melina KB’s “Gotcha!” song and accompanying short film tell the story of an anxiously attached girlfriend who becomes suspicious of her boyfriend after she sees an incriminating text on his phone. While the TikTok promos posted by Melina (@melina.kb) gained over a million views and lots of traction, the video fits the song yet falls short in a number of ways.

The film begins without a hitch. It just comes seven seconds later when the real acting starts.

While the short film’s acting isn’t necessarily bad, it’s the type of acting that’s perfect for the stage but too much for the screen. Yes, the song is funny. Yes, it calls for a character who is a caricature of herself. This being said, acting has definitely been tainted by TikTok wannabes and former theater kids who majored in communication studies (guilty!).

The film’s quality is also inconsistent—sometimes polished shots, sometimes obviously filmed on an iPhone. I’m fully aware that the budget for such a small-scale production probably came in the form of donations, IOUs, and free labor. Nevertheless, I believe there still could’ve been better comprehension and cohesion on editing and shooting styles. The vibe comes off as more school project and less career move.

The song is the best part of the short film, by far. It has a sort of catchy, musical theater-esque tempo, reminiscent of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s signature style. Fast-paced lyrics perfectly emulate the panic that Melina clearly feels during the speculation. While one could argue it’s adhering to the progressiveness of the genre, others could say “Gotcha!” fell victim to the Hamiltonification of modern musical theater. Melina’s voice, though, is polished, carrying an authority and power that resonates through her other music, as well. (A quick listen through her discography proves all of the former theater kid allegations are true.)

The melody is catchy, and not in a Top 40s hit way, either. It’s an earwormy push and pull of major and suspended chords, heightened by aurally interesting instrumentals that build. Based on this alone, it’s easy to tell that Melina is someone who speaks music fluently. The lyrics at the end of the song, however, feel rushed, and not in an intentional way—more in the way that no other more plausible ending was thought through. A few other plot holes in particular stick out to me, spoilers ensuing. He’s proposing, and she hasn’t even met his grandmother yet? Or remembered what his name for her was? 

Overall, the short film isn’t the worst thing in the world. I’m not even a film person, and I doubt I could do much better. The last thing I want to do is completely shit on small creators, and especially in the age of AI-generated content and emotionally flat money grabs. However, I’ve seen and done enough musical theater acting to know where it should and shouldn’t be.

And I’m just saying, if my boyfriend proposed to me in his grandmother’s house, I’d be pretty pissed.

Image taken from Facebook/Melina KB