Friday, June 28, 2019

Yesterday Movie Review

Himesh Patel stars in Yesterday

Miracles Happen

Rotten Tomatoes Plot: Jack Malik (Himesh Patel, BBC's Eastenders) is a struggling singer-songwriter in a tiny English seaside town whose dreams of fame are rapidly fading, despite the fierce devotion and support of his childhood best friend, Ellie (Lily James, Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again.) Then, after a freak bus accident during a mysterious global blackout, Jack wakes up to discover that The Beatles have never existed... and he finds himself with a very complicated problem, indeed.


Starring: Himesh Patel, Lily James, Ed Sheeran, Joel Fry and Kate McKinnon

What's Good: Patel is likable enough as the second first coming of The Beatles, especially whilst trying to remember all those legendary lyrics; and the film's premise is creative, with a few funny moments here and there. Funniest of all? Fry, who's an absolute stitch as Jack's clumsy confidant/roadie. Keep an eye on this star-in-the-making.

What's Not: "The most complicated joke ever," gets old kinda fast; and you're left with (what amounts to) a poor man's cross between Notting Hill and Rocketman. The romance is hard to swallow, and Patel's showmanship/singing is average at best. And why so mean, Ms. McKinnon? She's funny at first, but her one-note, ruthless approach is a waste of her considerable talent.

Budget: $26 million

Runtime: 116 minutes (Seems about right.)

Target Audience: Fans of La La Land, Mamma Mia!, etc.

Bottom Line: Imagine a world without the Beatles, Oasis and Coca Cola. Now toss in some familiar songs and a few silly scenarios. Still with me? Then odds are, you're gonna like Yesterday. Me? I had a hard time getting past its' striking similarities to the aforementioned Notting Hill (minus that film's star power and considerable chemistry.) Cute, but not as good as everyone seems to think it is.

GradeB-