After starting out in TV comedy in England (“Blackadder,” “Spitting Image”), Richard Curtis moved into films where he wrote some of the best romantic comedies: Notting Hill, Four Weddings and a Funeral, and the Christmas perennial, Love Actually, which he also directed. After 2013’s About Time, he essentially retired from films, only doing shorts or TV. But then fate stepped in. Jack Barth, another TV writer, asked if Curtis would like to read a script he’d written about a world where no one remembered the Beatles. Curtis responded he’d pass on reading it, because he’d rather write it himself. And thus came Yesterday. (Barth has credit for the story.)
Jack Malik (Himesh Patel) is a struggling musician whose biggest fan is his manager, Ellie Appleton (Lily James). She’s also almost his only fan, as well as his roadie and driver in the evenings after spending her days teaching. After almost ten years with little success, Jack’s ready to hang up his guitar. But then one night there’s a strange, world-wide power outage, during which Jack’s hit by a bus in the darkness. He awakens in the hospital and soon discovers that no one remembers the Beatles except him. (Other things have disappeared from the world, but I won’t spoil the fun of discovering what’s gone.)
He tries to remember all their songs – a running joke is the inability to figure out what phrase goes where in “Eleanor Rigby” – and passes them off as his own. His life takes a major turn when Ed Sheeran hears him on a TV program and invites Jack to open for his European tour. Soon a predatory agent (Kate McKinnon) with a penchant for honesty has her hooks in him. But while his future seems limitless, Jack must face losing what’s truly important to him.
Himesh Patel is a true gem as Jack. He’d started out on the hugely successful English soap opera “EastEnders” and did some other TV, but this is his first starring role. He nails it, not just the acting but also the singing and performing. Patel is ably supported by James, who’s winsome and winning and lights up the screen in her every scene. Ed Sheeran is Ed Sheeran, but he’s very good at being Ed Sheeran. Probably the weakest aspect of the movie is McKinnon, who goes so far over the top the role has a broad SNL skit feeling to it that’s out of synch with the sly and wry style of the film.
That aside, the story is well told by director Danny Boyle, especially when showing the painful embarrassment every musical artist endures in the hope that lightning will strike. Boyle’s never been constrained by genre, having done Trainspotting, 28 Days Later…, Sunshine, Slumdog Millionaire, and 127 Hours, among other films. And there are surprising moments, including one scene that throws an emotional wrench into the story.
But the greatest strength within the movie is the music of the Beatles. Around 20 of their songs are included, and it brings home the genius of their writing. While they were the soundtrack of the ‘60s, the music is truly timeless, and it’s a joy to hear the pieces again. The end credits roll to the Beatles doing “Hey Jude,” which is long enough to cover the whole length of the crawl. I sat there letting the brilliant music flow over me.
Every summer, mixed in amongst the big action tentpole flicks, there’s usually one or two small gems that are antidotes to all the explosions or car chases. Yesterday fits that bill perfectly.
omnivorous cinephile 