Yesterday

A great premise, wonderful performances, and a surprising script combine for a wonderful night at the movies.

The story follows Jack Malik. He’s a struggling musician whose songs are only appreciated by his trio of best friends including his manager and biggest supporter Ellie. After a freak accident jack wakes up and realizes he’s the only one on the planet who remembers the music of the Beatles. What is a failing musician to do when he suddenly has a catalogue of the best songs ever at his disposal? Pass them off as his own work. Jack is soon catapulted to stardom.

The film features wonderful new performances of classic Beatles songs, but it never gets distracted from its story. Which is the relationship between Jack and Ellie. These two have a surprising relationship. It doesn’t follow the standard romance cliches. On paper it is a guy who never realized his true love was his best friend, but here it has nuance and give and take. It feels like a real relationship between two genuine and complicated people. Their love story isn’t based on narrative contrivance or rom com complications. Their story is sincere and surprising and rewarding.

Speaking of surprise, the film is full of fun narrative twists that are surprising, but never feel cheap or unearned. To say too much more than that would ruin some of the films sweetest and most delightful moments. The trailers and marketing make it look like a million identical movies that have come before it about a guy who uses deception to achieve great success. This movie twists the tropes in s fun way that leads to a lot of pleasant surprises and elevates the film above its peers.

The film isn’t earth shattering. It isn’t going to change anyone’s opinion on life or the Beatles, but it is a fun, surprising and heartfelt little movie the will give audiences a nice oasis from the superheroes and chaos of the summer box office season.

This is my cup of tea. A-