Yesterday
{4.5/5} “What I’m offering you is the great and glorious poisoned chalice of money and fame.”
Yesterday, released in 2019
Jack’s music career isn’t going anywhere so he decides to quit. When the lights go out all around the world for 12 seconds, he gets hit by a bus. Afterwards he realizes that he’s the only person in the world who’s heard of the Beatles. So he starts singing all their songs, and becoming more and more famous.
I love the premise, and the story unfolds in an interesting and often humourous way. Jack’s parents are particularly funny.
At one point Jack gains clarity by visiting a particular 78-year-old man.* It’s a beautiful scene.
Himesh Patel is actually singing all the songs he seems to be singing.
Written by Richard Curtis (About Time).
Stars Himesh Patel, Lily James, Ed Sheeran, and Kate McKinnon. Directed by Danny Boyle (Slumdog Millionaire). There are lots of Beatles songs, which you can never have too many of, in the soundtrack.
Spoiler alert
*John Lennon, played by Robert Carlyle. In this universe Lennon never joined the Beatles, and therefore wasn’t murdered.