SummaryJon (Andrew Garfield), a young theater composer, is waiting tables at a New York City diner in 1990 while writing what he hopes will be the next great American musical. Days before he’s due to showcase his work in a make-or-break performance, Jon is feeling the pressure from everywhere: from his girlfriend Susan, who dreams of an artisti...
SummaryJon (Andrew Garfield), a young theater composer, is waiting tables at a New York City diner in 1990 while writing what he hopes will be the next great American musical. Days before he’s due to showcase his work in a make-or-break performance, Jon is feeling the pressure from everywhere: from his girlfriend Susan, who dreams of an artisti...
Tick, Tick…Boom! packs a great deal of joy into a story that pushes a more modern and darker take on the make-it-or-break-it mantra of classic ‘40s musicals. The songs are engaging and staged with a feel-good choreography that consists less of formalized dance (for the most part) than it does gleeful bursts of movement.
With Tick, Tick … Boom, Miranda celebrates the power and the pressure of the world he loves most, and he’s picked a subject who encapsulates those warring dynamics perfectly.
This is one of the finest musicals ever put to film, and Lin Manuel Miranda should be eminently proud of what he has created. Andrew Garfield is an absolutely titanic actor in this film, and his work learning to sing, but play piano, and perfectly portray Larson is abundantly clear. Alexandra Shipp plays her part wonderfully and has a shockingly beautiful voice, and is joined by the capable Vanessa Hudgens and Joshua Henry who help to give the harmonies that make so many of the songs sparkle. Speaking of the songs, if you love Rent, then this show will excite you greatly. There are so many wonderful songs in this show that will become part of any theater fan’s collections. Finally, the cinematography shows some real creativity, and this film does a great job of utilizing the merits of film as a medium distinct from the stage. Overall, I cannot rave about this movie enough, and will be forever saddened by the Oscar snubs.
The creator of ‘Hamilton,’ Lin Manuel Miranda, offers a stirring tribute to the creator of ‘Rent,’ Jonathan Larson, whose too short life—as acted and sung by the sensational Andrew Garfield—becomes a love letter to his soaring spirit.
Lin-Manuel Miranda gives us an unashamed sugar rush of showbiz rapture and showbiz solemnity in this heartfelt tribute to Broadway talent Jonathan Larson, played here by Andrew Garfield.
Lin-Manuel Miranda’s translation of the late Jonathan Larson’s semi-autobiographical musical, a cult hit off-Broadway in the early 1990s, asks a lot of even the most indulgent audience.
Garfield is fine, if a bit one-note in his show-must-go-on energy. The real issue is that the film is maniacally focused on Larson as the uber-struggling artist in a way that eventually feels monstrous, devouring any other character or concern that happens to cross its path.
One of the best musical performances I've ever seen. Andrew delivers all of himself in the most perfect performance of his career. The script follows the songs very well and the viewer easily identifies with the character's frustrations. Perfect tribute.
Based on the Jonathan Larson musical by the same name, director Lin-Manuel Miranda's debut feature tends to frustrate more than it entertains. With an almost totally absent back story about the play, the production's semi-autobiographical protagonist and most of the key figures in his life (both on stage and in real life), viewers who aren't already familiar with the source material come in at a distinct disadvantage. Is this supposed to be a cinematic translation of the stage production? A film biography of the musical's composer? Some combination of the two? That, in itself, is never made especially clear, leaving audiences wondering exactly what the picture is trying to be. And, when the narrative veers off in an array of different, often-unexplained directions, the story wanders aimlessly, focusing more on attempting to create a series of "memorable" musical numbers, an elusive feat given how eminently forgettable and pretentious most of the compositions truly are. The screenplay's repeated treatment of such recurring themes as "the pain of the tortured artist" and "the anguish of time escaping us" grows progressively tiresome after multiple iterations, leaving viewers anxious to see the picture get on with the story. To the film's credit, it features fine performances by Andrew Garfield, Alexandra Shipp and Judith Light, all of whom valiantly attempt to make the most of what they have to work with; it's just a shame that they didn't have a better script at their disposal. In the end, for those who are ardent fans of Broadway musicals and the work of Jonathan Larson, this reverential tribute might make for worthwhile viewing, but, for the casual movie fan, this one leaves much to be desired.
This film is two things: a touching tribute to Broadway and quite forgettable. There are very few surprises here, and the portrayal of Stephen Sondheim as a near god-like figure comes off as comically over-the-top. However, a flexing performance by Andrew Garfield and solid direction from Lin-Manuel Miranda combine to make an otherwise mundane plot into something worth watching.
It is certainly an ambitious directorial debut from Lin-Manuel Miranda with unique visuals and choices, even if some choices didn’t feel completely realized in the already tight pace. A problem that this film has, as does most musicals, is that is features songs that, all though very enjoyable, don’t continue the story. A song in a musical should compel a character or continue a plot point in the story. Not all songs don’t do this in the film, but a couple; and it was certainly noticeable.