In the age of paying tribute to iconic bands and musicians, ‘Yesterday’ has an unusual yet fascinating premise based on ‘The Beatles’ – arguably the most influential band of all time. But as they attempt to think out the box, director Danny Boyle and writer Richard Curtis seem to wind up against a wall, with no interest of getting over, under or around it. Instead, they head off in another direction to focus on the romantic endeavours of Jack and Ellie, who are both inherently likeable characters thanks to Himesh Patel and Lily James respectively. Jack realises he could quickly become the greatest musician to have ever lived, and while he isn’t able to make his peace with it, Patel makes it hard not to sympathise with Jack’s decisions. As a result, the first two acts breeze through on the endearing appeal of the lead pair, light humour, and timeless music of The Beatles.
Sadly, far-fetched storytelling decisions begin to take you out of the film’s fantasy world in its third act. The writing, and, ultimately, direction fall under the weight of living up to high expectations, leaving you with a few surprises; not all of them entirely pleasant. The best surprise is Ed Sheeran playing ‘Ed Sheeran’ that ends up as one of the film’s highlights. But there isn’t quite enough of him. Then again, neither is the whimsical edge that made the film promising nor are there any attempts at reason either, because, why bother with logic when Love is All You Need. While it may or may not please fans of The Beatles, ‘Yesterday’ is a breezy, fun watch with ample charm.
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