Tick, Tick...Boom!
Starring: Andrew Garfield, Alexandra Shipp, Robin de Jesus, Vanessa Hudgens, Joshua Henry, Jonathan Marc Sherman, Bradley Whitford, Michaela Jae Rodriguez, Ben Levi Ross, Richard Kind, Bernadette Peters, Phylicia Rashard, Phillipa Soo
Directed by: Lin-Manuel Miranda
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Drama, Musical
2021

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: Jonathan Larson (Andrew Garfield) struggles to finish his debut play as he works tirelessly to succeed in New York's theater district.

Review:
Tim: I was not prepared for how much I would love Tick, Tick...Boom!. Lin-Manuel Miranda has crafted one of the best musicals in many years and easily one of the best films of 2021. The movie is expertly crafted, features great performances, and tackles the subject with love and heart. You can tell from every frame that Miranda was inspired by the life of Jonathan Larson. Watching the movie, we are, too.

The movie is a gift in many ways. It's based on the musical written by Johnathan Larson and it's semi-autobiographical. That allows Miranda to adopt the play, but to also tell Larson's story. It's kind of a wonderful two-for-one deal. Before this, I didn't know anything about Larson. I've seen Rent, which isn't surprising, but I had no idea of the story of its creator. The story itself is incredible, as it tells of a struggling composer to bring his first musical to life. We go deep into the creative process here. The movie also explores relationships and the oftentimes challenging impact that creativity can have on those closest to us. The movie also gives us a wonderful view into the performing arts scene in New York City. You really understand how challenging it can be- how you hope your friends succeed, but their success doesn't necessarily translate into your own. It's kind of this fascinating pressure cooker environment that I personally would want no part of. That all comes to life in this film.

Now, as good as the story is, this movie is all about Andrew Garfield. I've long been a big fan of Garfield's, but I have never seen him like this. He is absolutely mesmerizing on screen. He transforms himself into Larson and tackles the character with abounding energy and a wide range of emotions. I couldn't tear my eyes away from Garfield in this role. It's astounding that he learned to sing for this film because his singing is fantastic. But, it's not just that- it's how he pours his entire body into every musical number, how he seems to draw the music and the drama out of his very soul. This is one of the great performances I've seen in many years and I think it would be a crime if Garfield didn't win an Academy Award for his performance here. Miranda directs a brilliant movie, but Garfield's performance as Larson will be what I always think about here. I'd happily sit down and watch this movie again, just to see Garfield shine in this role again. I loved what he did here.

The supporting cast is good, too. Alexandra Shipp gave a strong supporting performance. Her role is more reserved, but she has some excellent moments throughout her performance. Robin de Jesus was incredible, too. I want to highlight what he did in this role- he elevated the supporting performance to greatly impact the film. I haven't read much about his performance, but I'd personally consider him for a Best Supporting Actor nomination. He's that good in the role. He brings out of the raw humanity of his character and develops a deep emotional connection with the audience. I also loved Bradley Whitford's performance as Stephen Sondheim. Whitford has quietly been giving remarkable performance after remarkable performance for many years now. While he doesn't have a big role here, he absolutely makes a lasting mark. Jonathan Marc Sherman was a delight any time he showed up on screen. I'm still not convinced Vanessa Hudgens is a strong actress, but I have to admit I didn't have any faults with her performance here. I also like seeing Richard Kind in a funny supporting role. It was great Miranda included Phillipa Soo, but I wish she had more to do. As a whole, though, the cast is incredible.

While I don't know if any of the musical numbers were catchy enough for me to want to revisit them, the music works for the film. It supports the story and accomplishes what it needed to accomplish. It's entertaining and I wasn't bored during those sequences. It works.

I have to stress again how much I loved Tick, Tick...Boom!. As of this writing, it's my favorite film of 2021. Now, there's still a slew of potential great movies to come, so it's very possible this shifts. However, it's absolutely one of the best movies of the year and a film I sincerely hope wins multiple Oscars. Lin-Miranda Manuel crafts something truly special in this incredible film.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 8



If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend: In the Heights, Hamilton, Rent