And I say, it's alright.

Rating: 7/10 (29 June 2019)

"Yesterday" has a hook as instantly catchy as any iconic song by The Beatles: Jack Malik is a struggling singer-songwriter, ready to give up on the starving artist lifestyle after an unremarkable career. All of that changes, however, when a freak accident finds Jack living in a world where suddenly he is the only person who has any memory of the The Beatles or their music, or so it seems. Unlike the best Beatles' songs though, "Yesterday" is not as fleshed out beyond its captivating premise, leaving that premise feeling thin and worn out by the end.
I just couldn't help but feel like "Yesterday" could have been so much more. The movie focuses more on Jack's career after this massive change. Initially, his desire is to preserve this amazing music that the world has forgotten about, but he comes to realize that he can capitalize on it and become massively successful. Jack does confront his internal battle throughout the movie of how ethical his actions are, but this is about the extent of the depth of his character. A movie that could have been about both a celebration of the greatest band of all time AND an artist finding his own voice, isn't. Jack is actually frequently reminded how his own songs simply doesn't measure up, which is played more for laughs than anything. It felt genuinely disheartening in this otherwise uplifting movie.
Similarly, Jack's literal situation of just what the heck happened in the world is not really explored or resolved. While it's not necessarily crucial to the plot, I found it unsatisfying for such a tantalizing stone to be left unturned.
This narrative slack is picked up by what the heart of the movie really is, the romance between Jack and his childhood friend and number one supporter, Ellie. This romance is sweet and believable in all the places it needs to be. Ellie's character, however, does make some choices midway through the movie that would make her borderline insufferable were she not played so well by the charming and sympathetic Lily James.
Besides the romance, the real star of the movie is The Beatles' iconic music. There's a surprising number of songs thrown in. In order to further the plot along, we have to be told sometimes about how powerful and amazing the music is, but there are also plenty of moments where we get to just witness people be moved by the music. I found it to be a great celebration of their music, and it was all performed excellently by Himesh Patel.
Overall, "Yesterday" is a movie with a brilliant idea that could have been executed better. The feeling of what it could have been was palpable for myself, but it didn't lessen what the movie already possesses. At least, certainly, not enough to give it the low scores it's been receiving by professional critics. It's funny, sweet, and charming. If you're intrigued by the premise, see it. Just don't expect a revolution.