One of the characters in Yesterday hits the mark splendidly when she says, “A world without the Beatles is infinitely worse.” So when screenwriter Richard Curtis wants us to experience this reality, the audience is in for a whirlwind ride. As is evident with Curtis’ oeuvre — Four Weddings and a Funeral , Bridget Jones’ Diary and Love Actually — Yesterday too is a sweet ol’ romantic comedy.
At the get-go, Curtis’ telltale style definitively takes precedence over director Danny Boyle’s sleight of hand. It’s all about love, one that is disguised as a rousing tribute to one of the best musical acts ever. But neither, romance nor homage, would be that great if the two weren’t so delightfully mashed together in Yesterday .
- Director: Danny Boyle
- Cast: Himesh Patel, Lily James, Ed Sheeran, Kate McKinnon, Meera Syal, Sanjeev Bhaskar
- Storyline: A world without the music of The Beatles is infinitely worse, but one man seeks to change that along with his fortune
The film uses Jack Malik (Himesh Patel) as a vehicle to propel The Beatles’ contribution to popular culture. To say Malik is a struggling musician is an overstatement. He’s obviously failing while making ends meet at a wholesale warehouse. His childhood pal and natural object of affection is Ellie (Lily James), a lone ranger in the Malik-will-be-a-musician camp. After a freak global blackout has Malik injured in an accident, with the loss of two front teeth, the world has changed. The Beatles have vanished from existence, so have other beloved things like cigarettes and Coca-Cola. Capitalising on this happy turn of events, Malik falls down a rabbit hole of introducing the world to The Beatles’ music. Only, that he tells everyone the songs are his own.
The journey from failure to formidable singer-songwriter is one that Curtis plays out simply. It’s here that Boyle shines: from small performance spaces to a packed Wembley Arena with cellphone lights acting as torches. The crackle of a live performance is palpable, perhaps one of the best elements of Yesterday . It’s rivalled only by Curtis’ unravelling of the two protagonists’ love story, from one-sided love to inarticulate awkward declarations of mutual feelings. Of course, the comedy too — especially the hilarious duo of Sanjeev Bhaskar and Meera Syal as Malik’s parents — hits all the right spots.
If they weren’t so terribly important to the premise, it might have gone unmentioned. But when it comes to cameos, Yesterday knows how to play the game with equal parts surprise and nostalgia. Yes, Ed Sheeran plays an endearing version of himself and James Corden is the quintessential late night talkshow host. But those Beatles rumours aside, when the big sucker punch hits the screen, it’s definitely worth its weight.
Yesterday ’s romantic comedy premise plays out de rigueur. But what will remain etched in memory is this modern-day reiteration of The Beatles’ music; its magic, as we all know, is never capable of diminishing.
