Review: Yesterday

Imagine if the world forgot something, and not something small, but something that reverberated throughout the world when it first happened. Take that thought and ask yourself, what kind of advantage would you have if you remembered that thing? Encapsulate that and put it into film form, and there you have Yesterday.

We follow Jack Malik (Himesh Patel), a singer songwriter with musical shows extending to the size of pubs and children’s event. His best friend and manager Ellie (Lily James) is his constant companion, cheering him on and supporting him, any way he needs.

After a lackluster show, Ellie drops Jack off to pick up his bicycle, so he can somberly ride home. During his ride though, an event occurs, the power goes out worldwide with electricity and lights vanishing for a moment. Unfortunately, this happens while Jack is riding across a street, which leads to him being hit by a bus.

Taken to the hospital, he soon starts to recover with Ellie at his side, but also in pain and missing multiple front teeth. As a gift, he is given a new guitar for the one that was destroyed in the crash. At Ellie’s request he Quietly sings the song “Yesterday” by the Beatles, which blows away his close friends. Upon a realization, he finds that the world changed during Earth’s dark moment, some things have changed and some things have been forgotten. Including the memory that The Beatles and there music ever existed.

Recreating their songs and labeling them as his own leads Jack down a rabbit hole filled with fame and self doubt. Fame from the historic music he re-releases to the unknowing world, and self doubt, as he questions whether what he is doing and what he is chasing is really right. Is happiness defined by what you want to be or by what will make you truly content.

This film takes a fun route to ask that question, with celebrities and opportunities knocking on the door. As a viewer, you question what you would do, how you would act. And if you were being honest, most would probably align themselves into the column of “being smarter than”.

Be that as it may, this film was interesting and a whimsical time. Based upon a science fiction twist, but residing in the human condition, it manages to define itself as a search for happiness. That coupled with the powerful works released by John, Paul, Ringo and George make this a fun film to watch, especially if you believe that your life itself has its own soundtrack.

Grade: B-
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Running Time: 1hr 56m