often brilliant comedy with great songs

Rating: 8/10 (16 September 2019)

A Hard Day's Night is a largely plotless romp with the Beatles telling jokes and running around. It's also a hugely influential work by Richard Lester that brought New Wave ideas into a more entertaining framework and created much of the grammar for future music videos. The film represents one of the few times a rock band movie had a genuinely talented director in charge, and it's a must-see for anyone who likes the Beatles or is interested in film history.
Filmed in a pseudo-documentary style, not much happens. Paul's uncle gets in trouble, Ringo gets out of sorts, and girls scream. The Beatles' Liverpool accents and breezy personas were unusual in films of the time, and while you can't necessarily say any of them can act except Ringo, they are utterly charming.
A youth-against-the-man theme runs throughout the movie, starting with an encounter with an obnoxious train passenger (who is probably in the right) and reaching its apex in the movie's best scene, where George gently mocks a corporate trend manipulator.
The songs are, of course, wonderful. Some musical numbers are little more than the Beatles sitting and playing, but the opening of Hard Day's Night is an extended chase and Can't Buy Me Love is a lot of joyful hijinks that is a classic of its kind.
The weakest part of the movie is the last section, in which the Beatles perform in a studio before an audience of screaming girls. The hysteria is somewhat entertaining, but for the most part this is just the Beatles performing songs that were already played earlier in the movie.
If you like this movie, check out other Richard Lester films like The Knack and How to Get It.