Jack Malik is a struggling singer-songwriter in an English seaside town whose dreams of fame are rapidly fading, despite the fierce devotion and support of his childhood best friend, Ellie. After a...
A fresh, uplifting tale with a fantasy twist, “Yesterday”, directed by Danny Boyle”, brings a familiar premise of one’s rising to fame, and manages to create a heartwarming human story mixed together with an absurd gimmick of “what if one day everyone has forgotten about The Beatles?”.
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The story sees a struggling singer/songwriter whose dreams of fame are rapidly fading, despite the fierce devotion and support of his childhood friend and manager. After a bus accident during a mysterious global blackout, the musician wakes up to discover that not only “Coca-Cola” and cigarettes don’t exist, but the “Beatles” never existed either! He now takes the songs that the world has never heard and write them off as his own. Things can’t go wrong, right?
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There’s something profoundly disturbing about the idea of a world without “The Beatles”. Whether you’re a die hard fan or someone who just so happens to know the rhythm of “Yellow Submarine”, the film is a largely enjoyable and frequently surprising story of one major loss becoming our hero’s gain. With some genuinely warm and funny moments, the film never feels tedious or contrived. Boyle does a fairly good job at keeping the narrative moving, however, the film does suffer from a few problems. Though the film moves at a nice pace, it does get bogged down at some parts during the second and third act, and starts to feel overly long in some instances. Although, it does rebound nicely and manages to get itself together by the end of the film.
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When it’s not focusing on the romantic aspects of the story, the film provides a great examination of the vagaries of the music business and our modern idea of success. Blending in a stripped down, largely guitar-led renditions of the classic hits, “The Beatles” songs are incorporated well within the story and doesn’t feel forced in the narrative for the sake of a cheap pop.
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The star of the film, Himesh Patel, is an absolute joy to watch. Patel plays a man who gets everything he wants, but almost loses everything and nearly loses himself in the process. Patel seemingly has a humble charm of a man who’s in an unusual situation, it’s that kind of human aspect that keeps the absurd premise grounded and relatable to others.
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Sharing the screen alongside Patel with great chemistry is Lily James as the romantic love interest, showcasing some strong emotion and heartfelt sequences with Patel. Kate McKinnon steals whatever scene she’s in with her over the top comedic moments. One of the biggest surprises of the cast is Ed Sheeran playing..well... Ed Sheeran. Sheeran shows some genuine acting ability and serves as more of a key role in the entire narrative than just some throwaway cameo.
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“Yesterday” never becomes just another jukebox musical, as it dives into a question about how people’s lives change if one piece of the puzzle is missing, whether it’s the iconic music of a beloved band, or someone in our lives that we care deeply about. While still having its narrative flaws and pacing issues, the film never once delves into cliche territory and provides a sense of muscular positivity energy when things threaten to get too sappy or syrup. It’s a feel good film that breathes life with every string being played to the tunes of the cultural loved songs by “The Beatles”, and no, I’m not talking about the insect.
