It’s 1990 and Jonathan Larson (Andrew Garfield) is about to turn thirty–and that scares him to death. He’s an up-and-coming song writer that wants to make it big before his birthday, and while he compares himself to musical legends like Paul McCartney and Stephen Sondheim, his resume is nothing like those aforementioned stars. tick, tick…BOOM! is the story of a twenty-nine year old Jonathan that will do anything that he can to find balance in his life and finally make it big in the world of music. Between himself, his girlfriend Susan (Alexandra Shipp), and his closest confidants he will work toward his dreams. And while he’s right on the cusp of something great, this journey will prove to be incredibly difficult.
tick, tick…BOOM! is a narrative piece framed as a stage play, that is sort of, at the same time, framed as a musical. There are all of these moving pieces that keep the film driving forward, and while the semi-fractured nature of the film can be confusing to some viewers, the reality is that the film is constantly progressing, never at a standstill, pulling viewers into its orbit and refusing to let them go. As all of these cinematic styles marry together to create one, interestingly (maybe even ironically) cohesive piece of mastery, viewers can’t help but to play along and constantly ask themselves “so, what happens next?” I’ve never considered this question to be anything but praise for what has just been accomplished, but tick, tick…BOOM! has caused me to reevaluate its meaning. I still mean to use this as praise–but this idea bleeds into the rest of the film in such a beautiful way. I love the idea of a film making viewers think–because regardless of the fact that they are here (on the surface) to entertain, they serve another purpose as well, and that is to educate. Larson’s journey toward success is anything but simple, and the lessons that he learns along the way, throughout the course of tick, tick…BOOM!, are congruent with the things that the rest of the world deals with each and every day. The relationship that viewers develop with Larson (via Garfield) is the vessel by which this film ultimately finds success.
The reality is, and I’ve said it before many times (and while I know that I’m essentially beating a dead horse, I feel that it’s necessary to express this for contextual purposes), I tend to dislike musicals. So, if I’m going to appreciate a musical I have to immediately fall in love with the music–and, believe it or not, that’s what happens here in tick, tick…BOOM?!. Larson’s musical is not the typical, drab tunes of the standard Broadway production, but rather a melting pot of genres and ideas. Combining rock, alternative, and standard Broadway ideals regarding music allows that music to jump off the screen and fill the room in which it’s being played. Beyond the songs itself, the slew of immensely talented individuals performing the songs are a key reason that those songs reach viewers in the way that they do. The world knows that Vanessa Hudgens (Karessa) is a wonderful singer, so, it’s no surprise that she does a spectacular job of performing. She also works as a way to gauge how talented the others are, particularly Shipp and Garfield. As Garfield and Hudgens sing alongside one another it’s clear, by the simple fact that Garfield is able to hold his own (and even steal moments) throughout his time on screen, that he possesses not just talent in the field of music, but mastery.
tick, tick…BOOM! is a modern classic that has taken the world by storm. I believe, based on the ingenuity of the cast and crew, paired with Garfield’s immense talent that in fifty years from now this will be a film that is still talked about in cinematic circles, that will still resonate with viewers, and will still appeal to the masses. Again, Garfield, and his ability to make connections with viewers, is the primary reason why tick, tick…BOOM! has found success. With the recent announcement of Garfield winning “Best Actor in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy” making its way around the world, those who had yet to see the film (including me) will likely judge his performance more harshly. He lives up to, and exceeds, the hype surrounding his performance here. His performance is beautiful, tear-jerking, breathtaking, and all-around phenomenal.
I never expected to fall in love with tick, tick…BOOM!, and I honestly gave it a shot as a courtesy to myself (a critic). The one musical that I’ve appreciated (even adored) over the years is West Side Story (1961), and it’s fair to say that tick, tick…BOOM! is making the same level of waves as the aforementioned, critically acclaimed film. There’s nothing quite like tick, tick…BOOM!, and I’m so incredibly impressed by what this cast and crew bring to the table. Even with everything that I’ve said, I don’t believe that I’m doing the film justice, as it conveys real, honest human emotion, spectacular vocals, and one of the greatest performances I’ve seen in a long time. tick, tick…BOOM! is an astonishing work of art.
Directed by Lin-Manuel Miranda.
Written by Steven Levenson & Jonathan Larson.
Starring Andrew Garfield, Alexandra Shipp, Robin de Jesus, Vanessa Hudgens, Joshua Henry, Jonathan Marc Sherman, Michaela Jaé (MJ) Rodriguez, Ben Levi Ross, Judith Light, Bradley Whitford, etc.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/10
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