 | The new Curtis / Boyle offering, ‘Yesterday’ is a crowd pleaser. Who doesn’t love a "What if….?" story? This one poses; "what if The Beatles had never happened - and only you knew they had, and could play all their songs?" So, how can this happen? Jack Malik (Himesh Patel) is involved in some sort of time slip incident, but he’s the only one unaffected due to simultaneously being bumped on the head as he’s knocked off his bike; complete with his trusty acoustic. And when he plays Yesterday on his new guitar to his mates (including close pal Lily James) and has to correct them with, “I didn’t write it, Paul McCartney did…The Beatles..?” And gets “Who??”, he’s on it. His laptop that is. Nope: no listings online about The Beatles, John, Paul, George, Ringo etc… Nothing. So what’s a nice, unknown, average guitar-playing chap to do? Become a songwriting sensation and superstar, that’s what. |
Could this be a new in-reverse version of 'It’s a Wonderful Life'? Because there’s other considerations, naturally. Like love (Richard Curtis wrote it) and the vagaries of fame and the media machine (Danny Boyle people…), there will be lots to explore here.
Ed Sheeran appears, and I expect other cameos to add to the fun. Maybe even Macca himself could make an appearance - perhaps a little copyright problem? There’s bound to be some complications, surely our innocent hero can’t get away with it? And although I don’t expect life changing revelations, I do expect lots of Beatles tunes and a fun denouement.
I know it will be well crafted from this pedigree and I’d definitely like to see it. I’m a steadfast Beatles fan, and there could be a whole cluster of new young fans after this! (clever back-catalogue planning could generate some serious royalties…nice work). It’s looking like a Beatles music themed comedy - so really, what’s not to like? And the trailer intrigues - how can this possibly end? And that’s what a good trailer is for: so job done.
Released in the summer, I imagine it will have a family friendly classification: Let it Be.
Review by Lucy Aley-Parker.
