I Didn't Believe in Yesterday

This past weekend, I went to see the new movie Yesterday. It's the story of struggling singer-songwriter Jack Malik who, after an accident, wakes up to discover he's the only person in the world who remembers the music of The Beatles. This becomes his ticket to fame and fortune, as he begins to "write" the greatest music the world has ever heard.

I'm enough of a fan of The Beatles to have been instantly intrigued by the premise of this movie. Added to that was another significant draw for me -- the screenwriter of this movie is Richard Curtis, whose many credits include Love Actually and About Time (among a number of other widely beloved movies I should really get around to seeing).

Unfortunately, there's simply not much to this movie beyond the idea itself. "No one remembers The Beatles" is a fun springboard, but it turns out to be an idea without enough meat on the bone to sustain a full length movie. An improv sketch or a short story, perhaps. But as a nearly two-hour film, it sort of devolves into using classic Beatles songs as filler to pad out a simplistic and familiar romantic comedy -- one that's only occasionally all that romantic or comedic.

The movie is directed by Danny Boyle, the man behind Trainspotting, The Beach, Slumdog Millionaire, and more. His movies have often been hit-or-miss for me, but it always depends on the relative strength of the script. He's not an especially flashy director, and though that non-intrusiveness could be argued as a virtue, it means in this case that there isn't much visual panache to elevate the proceedings.

The cast is likeable enough. The leads are more well known in England than the U.S., but Himesh Patel (of EastEnders) and Lily James (of Downton Abbey) are an easy enough pair to root for. Patel in particular has the heavier lift of singing throughout the film (and playing piano and guitar as well). But the script doesn't really put any too-serious obstacles in the couple's way that might have brought more emotional heft to the film. It's perhaps a deliberate choice to just "make room for the songs," but it hollows out the already lightweight story.

There are a few small delights along the way. Kate McKinnon cuts loose as a sleazy producer-manager who takes over Jack's career and steers it for her own gain. Ed Sheeran appears as himself and gets to poke a little fun at his own image along the way. Robert Carlyle has a small scene that nevertheless serves as one of the film's few deeper moments.

If you're a fan of The Beatles, you might find the movie a pleasant enough distraction. But ultimately, it's the band's famous music that sticks with you as you're leaving the theater. The story is a trifle that begins to evaporate almost instantly. I'd grade the movie a C.