Tick, Tick… Boom! Movie Review (2021)
Full of fantastic music and tons of heart, Tick, Tick… Boom! is a film based on a musical about a composer who is desperately trying to finish his show while navigating his upcoming 30th birthday.
I remember when Jonathan Larson passed away. For all of us theatre nerds out there, it is a story that will live on in infamy. And even though we may not have seen his new masterpiece, RENT, when it launched into previews (the first one being the morning that he died), Jonathan, his work, and the legend of what he could have done in the future will always be a topic of deep love and gentle mourning.
Tick, Tick… Boom! is a semi-autobiographical film about Jonathan Larson’s life based on the show that he wrote of the same name. In the movie, we meet Jonathan living in New York City, soon to turn 30 years old, and working on the same rock opera for the last 8 years. He is dating Susan, a dancer, who would like some stability in her life, and his best friend Michael, an actor, just got a well-paying job at an advertising company.
The film is constructed so that you are actually watching a stage performance of Tick, Tick… Boom! that Jonathan narrates and sings the songs for, but it is cut with the story that plays out the narrative.
I love this movie. I watch it (listen to it?) all the time and it never gets old. The songs are absolutely fantastic, and if you watch this, be prepared to add a few to your Spotify playlist. My current favorites are “30/90” (where Jonathan talks about his anxiety in turning 30), “Johnny Can’t Decide,” “Why” (where he reminisces on his long friendship with Michael), and “Louder Than Words” (where questions everything), but all of the songs are bangers.
Directed by Lin-Manuel Miranda (who also has a cameo), this film is like an Easter Egg Hunt for Broadway lovers. Almost the entire supporting cast has been on Broadway, and that includes the actors who show up for only a minute or two. A few of the famous faces that you’ll see are Joel Grey, Renee Elise Goldsberry, Phillipa Soo, Laura Benanti, Chita Rivera, Bernadette Peters, and Bebe Neuwirth. And that’s just a drop in the bucket.
Andrew Garfield, who stars as Jonathan, is absolutely phenomenal. It is obvious that both he and Miranda worked tirelessly to make this a true tribute to Jonathan Larson. The show even covers the relationship that developed between Larson and Stephen Sondheim, which was one of the things that kept the fire burning so bright for him.
There is gorgeous imagery throughout the movie, but the restaurant front opening like a stage with Jonathan conducting all of the Broadway greats is the one that stands out to me. And if you are a lover of RENT, you’ll notice all of the little mentions that are scattered throughout the film (Pookie, throw down the key, angel on earth). It even starts with a narration by Jonathan, much the same way RENT begins with Mark.
I can’t say enough great things about this film and I’m incredibly grateful for the hard work and passion that went into it. I know that wherever Jonathan Larson is, he is smiling.
Runtime: 121 minutes
Motion Picture Rating: PG-13
Languages Spoken In The Film: English
Should You Watch It? Yes, definitely
Did I Cry? Yes, I get teary
My Rating: 4.75/5 Stars
Available: Only on Netflix
