Likeable predictability

Rating: 7/10 (13 October 2019)

A likeable if rarely surprising tale whereby Jack Malik (Himesh Patel) finds himself in a world where the Beatles never existed. Deciding to sing their songs, he becomes the biggest global artist in the world, while his unrequited love looks on.
It hangs on tenuous logic, of course. The Beatles didn't exist in a vacuum, and so their absence from the world would have had presumably more impact than just Oasis being amusingly but somewhat cruelly slated. Certainly the Rolling Stones that still exist in this world would have needed a new second single and different backing vocalists for We Love You. Other things have disappeared from the world, too, such as Coke, cigarettes, and - as this is a Richard Curtis movie - working class people.
But such discussions are immaterial, as this isn't a reflective sci-fi piece, but a "feelgood" romantic comedy that's fairly charming if never particularly anything you didn't expect. Even if you weren't aware that this film was written by Curtis, you'd guess it from the formula that's there... the British film that's sold entirely on its appeal to America; the eccentric parents; the "zany" best friend who has anti-social tendencies but not in any way that's offensive or unpalatable.
Despite being a multicultural film, every character is also an "easy" and "safe" middle class character with zero rough edge; the lead character and his parents three Muslims played by people with Hindu and Sikh backgrounds, and given the name of "Jack", "Jed" and "Sheila". It's a cute film, sometimes cloyingly so, and, apart from one swearword at the end it's one you can comfortably show your grandmother.
The real big issue here is the trailer. For some reason the last few years have gone from trailers being there to... well, trail a movie... and into things that contain enormous, massive spoilers. Some notable recent examples in the "do I even need to go and see it now?" category include Batman vs. Superman, which killed any vague suspense that may have been generated by showing a clearly post-battle duo on good terms; or Stan & Ollie, which showed... well, pretty much the entire film.
It's trailers made by the mindset behind Planet of the Apes having DVD releases with the Statue of Liberty on the front cover, and Yesterday is that most amazing of products - a film that was released with every. single. major. plot. point. shown. in. the. trailer. This reaches such extraordinary, outrageous lengths that plot twists that take place less than TEN MINUTES before the end credits are shown in the trailer.
Presumably the makers assumed that Richard Curtis scripts are so predictable there was nothing to spoil, and, apart from a scene where John Lennon appears as an old man, never shot dead in 1980, it's all very "safe roads" and a fantasy world that never exists... entertaining, but often threatening to drown in its own saccharine. Jack's world may no longer have Coke, but it certainly still has more than enough sugar.