A cute little romance hidden under the disguise of a Beatles-themed fantasy
When the trailer for Yesterday first dropped, my first thought was “This is such a unique concept.” That concept shines through in this fun little adventure but it comes across as more of an extended dream than anything else. It’s not perfect, it’s pretty cheesy, but it’s exactly what it needs to be.
From the director of Slumdog Millionaire, Yesterday follows a singer-songwriter Jack Malik (Himesh Patel) who gets in an accident during a global blackout. When he wakes up, he finds that the world has no recollection of The Beatles ever existing. He then uses their music to become an international star, but his rise to fame challenges both his relationships and his morals.
As much as they advertise the music side of the story, it really does feel like this is a romance with Beatles undertones to the narrative. The main journey through the story besides his rise to fame is how that affects his relationship with his best friend, Ellie (Lily James). She is a deciding factor in much of the movie and is ultimately what matters most to Jack.
That’s not to say that takes away from the movie at all, although it does get a bit cheesy here and there. The movie is still a enjoyable as ever and will bring a heartwarming smile to anyone who watches it. Sure, the film stumbles over itself a few times, and Patel doesn’t give a particularly inspiring performance, but you’re not looking to see a masterpiece of cinema here. You’re going to see a movie that makes you feel warm and fuzzy inside.
If you’re the nitpicky type that’s going to be taken out of a movie because it’s not accurate to reality in the slightest, this one isn’t for you. If you want a rocking dream of a love story, Yesterday is worth the watch and is certainly enjoyable despite its flaws.
The Movie Hall 
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