Film: Yesterday
Starring: Himesh Patel, Lilly James
Director: Danny Boyle
Review: Queen V
Rating: 3X’s out of 5X’s
For someone who's growing tired of movies about bands & musicians, I was a bit surprised that I didn’t absolutely hate this film, and also impressed that it was able to bring a new twist to the genre in an enjoyable way. "Yesterday" starring Himesh Patel as Jack Malik, and Lily James as Ellie Appleton, was a cute love story that involves a world in which The Beatles never existed. After “The Blackout”, Jack finds himself as the only person that knows who The Beatles are and being a somewhat unsuccessful musician, he starts recording all of their songs, becoming the biggest star the music world has ever seen. Yesterday is an interesting take on band storytelling, as opposed to the more popular documentary-esque style. The film is shot in an obscure way, and a few times I questioned why certain angles were being used, and it genuinely pulled me out of the film at some points, which was a big loss for me. However, with Kate McKinnon, and Ed Sheeran cast as supporting roles, I think the audience will overlook some of these minor details and enjoy watching some familiar faces. Overall the story was fun, and it is one that I recommend if you have nothing else to do on a summer weeknight. I could tear this movie apart from a technical perspective, which were some of my major losses, but I will say that I was smiling most of the time and tapping my feet to some of my favorite songs. You’ll have a good time watching this movie, but if you have a background in film, be warned you might find yourself questioning some of the creative choices that were made. In the end, (Yesterday) is a genuinely fun movie, but not one you'll beat yourself up over if you miss it.