Yesterday

I went into this wondering if they were going to explain the whole premise with it being a dream or such? Was he going to get caught and crucified for it? Was he going to get the girl, lose the girl? So many movies are fixated on realism and difficulties and negativity. Yes, he faces several difficulties. But, the movie is light and beautiful with fantastic music. If I want realism, I watch a documentary. This is what I go to the movies for. Really well done!

Saw it at my cinema in Lovran, Croatia just a few hours ago, so it's still pretty "fresh" while I'm writing this. The whole idea is great, haven't seen those yet in mainstream cinema. The plot is pretty much straight-forward, with likeable characters, great music (of course) and when the movie was over, it left me with good feeling and a smile on my face still singing Hey Jude.

All actors are really good, but Lily James is so adorable in this movie! She shines in her character and steals every scene she is in. Liked her the most (obviously).

Take your girlfriend/boyfriend/friends/family to see this rom-com fantasy music comedy in cinema on a big screen, and even if you won't like the movie, you will sing Beatles songs after and feel good about it (guaranteed)!

Movies like Yesterday aren't meant to challenge our intellect or keep us on the edge of our seats. They're mean to entertain without strain, and tap into our sense of feelgood and nostalgia.

That's exactly what Yesterday does, and it does it very well. The acting is spot on, the characters relatable, and the humorous moments well placed and paced.

The fabulous songs of the Beatles don't hurt either. Watch through the credits for the full version of "Hey Jude"

Don't judge Yesterday by the same yardstick as Endgame or Get Out and you might thoroughly enjoy it as I did

There were three main reasons really in seeing 'Yesterday'. The alternative world scenario sounded truly fascinating, one of the most fascinating concepts in recent years to me and a refreshing change from the remakes and sequels constantly made today. Like to love a lot of Danny Boyle's previous films and find him a talented director. The Beatles are not all time favourites but do appreciate him highly, understand their influence in music and like a lot of their songs a lot.

While it could have done more with its concept, 'Yesterday' turned out to still be entertaining and charming that put me and my sister in an uplifting mood leaving the cinema. Had not had an easy day, or week even, up to seeing the film, so 'Yesterday' was a much needed and appreciated antidote. As far as films released in 2019 go, it is neither one of the best or worst in a hit and miss year and somewhere around solid middle if having to rank.

'Yesterday' is a slick looking film, not exemplary but never cheap. Lily James looks great and the camera clearly loves her. The music of course is fantastic, it is The Beatles after all, with some of their greatest hits exuberantly performed, making one want to sing along regardless of whether they know all the words or not. "Hey Jude" is one of the most memorable examples. The script balances amusing comedy and never over-sentimental drama without making it too cartoonish or mawkish (well mostly).

Story-wise, 'Yesterday' captures the feel-good spirit affectionately and the portrayal of the music industry was fun and didn't get over the top. The John Lennon bit is a highlight. Boyle has done better and more inspired direction, but still directs at a crisp pace and balances things quite well. The performances are good, a truly charming James coming off best. Himesh Patel has come on a long way since 'EastEnders' while Kate McKinnon is riotous in the manager role.

On the other viewpoint, the concept was so fascinating and while it is always engaging the story is predictable and a bit too ordinary. Especially the final third, which is pretty much exactly as one would expect.

Ed Sheeran's "extended cameo" for my tastes was rather puzzling and didn't seem to gel with everything else.

All that aside, it was an enjoyable film on the whole and worth seeing. 7/10

I enjoyed this because I didn't think too much. If this were science fiction, which in some ways it was, and the Beatles never existed, how would so many things that were their legacy have developed. The British invasion would never have happened without them and a culture that expanded decades would never have taken place. But we can put that aside because the film tells us that the Beatles did not exist. Not that the four persons did not exist, but the band itself. I loved the bit with John Lennon where Mark David Chapman never came into his life. Anyway, it is a sappy love story in many ways, but the music is fun and the challenges of the protagonist are quite real in that milieu. I have been a huge fan of the Beatles from the get-go and if given a piece of paper and a pencil, could write the titles of a couple hundred songs. But to remember the lyrics, especially to a level of creative expertise, would be astonishing. Every once in a while something comes along that is just fun--no more criticism.