'Yesterday' - A Movie Review

Tomorrow is another day. Then again if you wish for yesterday you’ll never realize what you lose.

Directed by Danny Boyle, Yesterday circles around the life of a struggling musician, Jack Malick. After an incident, the world suddenly has no idea who The Beatles are. Posing one of the most famous band’s hit songs as his own, Jack grows in popularity sooner than he anticipated. However, is the fame worth it?

When I first started watching Yesterday I was interrupted by a real tornado hitting the ground and putting out the electricity outside the movie theatre in Cape Cod. Having to wait a week until I could finally watch the second half of the film, my mind was reeling in theory after theory on how the movie would turn out. Yesterday is an engaging original film.

In his acting debut, Himesh Patel is spectacular as Jack Malick. His determination to feverishly remember the lyrics to all the Beatles songs while fighting with his conscious is one of the most profound and moving moments in cinema. Patel does his own singing, guitar and piano playing. Patel had genuine and endearing emotion. I am looking forward to seeing what roles Patel has next.

Starring as his manager and life-long friend, Ellie, Lily James sells a scene just through her eyes and emotional delivery. Patel and James had great scenes together. Their emotion and constant joking around sell their friendship but turn out to be something deeper.

A plethora of outstanding supporting actors adds levity to the story. Sophie Di Martino (Carol), Ellise Chappell (Lucy), Harry Michell (Nick), Joey Fry (Rocky), and a brilliantly snarky appearance by Kate McKinnon as Debra. Expect a few surprising faces.

In my favorite roles, Meera Syal (Sheila Malik) and Sanjeev Bhaskar (Jed Malik) remind audiences of their parents constantly interrupting, asking irrelevant questions while still being there for their son when he needs them most. Without their appearances, there would be no Yesterday.

Yesterday is a fresh blend of comedy and drama. It doesn’t run on any overused movie cliches. I was laughing countless times because of well-timed humorous delivery, running gags, and the show-stealer Kate McKinnon.

Aside from The Beatles disappearing from history, Yesterday is also a love story. If you suddenly had the potential to steal famous bands songs or love, what do you choose? What is more important? Life is all about decisions and how you respond.

This movie truly feels as if you’re experiencing a real concert. The songs, voices, and instruments are superb. It’s a blast from the past.

I loved the camera angles and editing. Danny Boyle’s vision was unique, connecting with Jack’s overwhelming new life, capsizing the screen. Boyle took a risk at an original story in sincerity instead of executing it as an over the top picture. The story does not take long to hook you making you laugh or even gasp.

My favorite aspect of stories is the ‘what if’. What if The Beatles never existed? We never realize what we lose until it is gone. How does change impact us? The Beatles subconsciously brought the world together to enjoy music.

A heartfelt message, Yesterday is all about finding your person. Yesterday is the past. Look towards the future for a better day.

Give the film a chance and witness it in theaters. I know the film had me hooked after a tornado blew out the electricity when I saw it the first time. If you’re a Beatles fan, Yesterday is your movie. Relive the magic of The Beatles to appreciate them. Take your kids who don’t know anything about The Beatles. Yesterday is an excellent film for all generations.