This movie has been in the theaters for a while, and certainly some of you may have seen it. I prefer to write about new releases, but as my editor Kelsey O’Kelley put it “I feel that August is one of the months where no good movies come out.” You’re right Kelsey, at least so far, so I chose to “reach back” for this edition.
Imagine if you will a world where cigarettes, Coca Cola and the Beatles never existed. Good riddance to the first two, but no Beatles, that’s a life changer. At least it is for Jack Malik, a struggling young singer-songwriter living in Lowestoft, England. After a world-wide electric grid failure, lasting twenty seconds, Jack, played by Himesh Patel, is now the only person alive who remembers the Beatles. He of course doesn’t know that right away, but through a series of circumstances, he eventually discovers no one has ever heard of the famous four or their music. His musical library includes every song ever recorded by them and after singing Yesterday to a group of friends, who were astonished that Jack could write a song that incredible, he sees an opportunity.
Yesterday
Entertainment Rating: ★★★
Rating: PG-13: several profanities, one “ambitious” love scene, no nudity
Possible Oscar Nominations: Film Editing, Cinematography, Art Direction, Set Decoration, Best Actor: Himesh Patel
He begins performing the Beatle’s music in small cafes and clubs, and it doesn’t take long for word to get out about this amazing young songwriter and his music. One thing leads to another and eventually Jack becomes the most famous singer- songwriter in the world. The path to that fame is riddled with music and the movie eventually becomes a “Beatles” concert if you will. Jack, himself, is an outstanding singer, and his renditions are highly entertaining. There are, needless to say, some bumps and bruises along the way, particularly with relationships. One in particular is with his lifelong friend Ellie, played by Lily James.
The cinematography, set designs and art direction are outstanding throughout. The final twenty minutes are worth the price of admission, as Jack puts on a concert in front of 30,000 or so screaming fans, and as the show comes to a close everyone in the audience turns on their phone flashlights, and WOW, I get goosebumps thinking about it. Needless to say a dose of reality settles in as the movie draws to a close, but that is well worth watching too. I can tell you there is a happy ending. And, as the credits roll, the background music is the Beatles themselves singing Hey Jude, the single greatest (secular) song ever written. I sat in my seat for ten minutes listening and would still be there if it didn’t come to an end.
The movie does have a challenge, as the British accents are sometimes difficult to understand.
