Jack Malik is a struggling singer-songwriter in an English seaside town whose dreams of fame are rapidly fading, despite the fierce devotion and support of his childhood best friend, Ellie. After a freak bus accident during a mysterious global blackout, Jack wakes up to discover that The Beatles have never existed. Performing songs by the greatest band in history to a world that has never heard them, Jack becomes an overnight sensation with a little help from his agent.
Yet another perk of having a Cineworld Unlimited card - I was able to go check this film out early and share my thoughts with you, so depending on your opinion that could either be really good or really bad! Regardless though, the film followed a recent trend of focusing on key music talents and really allowing us to delve into their lives - this film is different though because not only does it focus on the music but it also has a real (and far fetched) storyline so that despite the film not being specifically about the Beatles, their music was a key part. There was plenty in the film that brought surprise and excitement though, as with many well-made films, but the combination of this and a musical focus really made the film unique. Here’s the question though, is this a “Twist and shout” or is it more of a “Hello, Goodbye”? Here are my thoughts.
As usual, I’ll start with what I liked about the film and there was a lot! I thought that the way in which the film kicked off was really interesting, showing Jack Malik busking in the streets, whilst receiving offers to perform at Latitude and other venues - I liked how it wasn’t a typical music film which depicts the actor at the bottom and with no hope. Not only did this busking help to introduce him as a key character but also the community and friends that he had around him, exposing us to the key links and relationships between the characters very early in the film - allowing us to understand quickly who everyone was and what their role was so that we could follow their stories. Seeing Jack in his daily life at the start of the film also helped to introduce us to his personality and traits, making him a much more multi-dimensional and relatable character, the film builds him up as genuine through the various ways in which he interacts with other characters. Such as at Latitude when he messes around with his friend and performing in front of a small crowd, it is clear that he has some talent, but there is one small element that needs work, his lyrics and that’s where the rest of the film flows in nicely. To summarise the characters though, I thought they were great, I really did. Not only did the characters feel engaging through their unique and individual personalities but there was also a good sense of humour that was genuinely funny which also helped to really make the characters seem exciting and genuine - this then had a really good and positive impact on the rest of the film, not only was it satisfying and enjoyable to see the characters and their relationships develop and evolve but also because of the use of flashbacks. I thought that these were really well used, not only did they help us to remember the ‘past version’ of Jack, but they also helped to establish and strengthen the relationship between him and Ellie because we see clearly how their relationship and feelings developed from a really young age - again strengthening the characters in the film and their relationships. The characters really felt genuine and powerful though, not just in their personalities but their relationships, the humour and banter shared between them helped to really create and hold chemistry which helped to intensify some of the later stages of the film where the characters realise their losses.
I thought that a really nice touch to the film was how it didn’t depict success with fame, Jack was famous but the people he lost and the sadness was really well communicated across through emotions and dialogue which meant that we really felt these emotions and they were intensified a lot, making the film really immersive. But the actors behind the characters were equally as good, not only did they really help to demonstrate the typical struggling, ambitious person but I liked how there seemed to be a real chemistry between the characters, Lily James usually shines in more old fashioned films but I’ve seen her really grow into these types of films and I thought she was great here and provided a really exciting partner/manager for Jack. Himesh (Jack) was great too, I thought that the genuine nature of his character meant that not only did he feel realistic in his role, but the emotions and feelings that he showed were expertly related to us as an audience, so when he felt regret, we felt it and when he was happy, so were we! The other characters were kept in another row, which was important because the focus was supposed to be on Jack and Ellie. I also liked the other connections to a variety of different musicians too, I thought that the inclusion of Ed Sheeran throughout was nice, because it helped to bring a familiar face into the scene to increase the genuine nature of the characters, whilst also helping to personify Jack’s rise to fame. I also liked how the film wasn’t all about the characters but the effects that the music and lifestyle choices had on the characters, one of the best parts of the film that makes it unique is how it focuses on the music and its impact, but also keeps a strong and engaging storyline too. Not only were the characters great but so was the storyline too...
A key issue that many films like this face is that they don’t feel realistic seeing the character progress because the story isn’t related properly to us, that was not the case here at all. I thought that the way in which the characters developed matched the storylines pace perfectly, what does this mean though? In short, the plot was really easy to follow, because of the interactive words on the screen showing where they were, as well as the characters and sceneries which helped to define and personify the moods of the characters. I thought that the idea of the film was really fresh too, I mean maybe a little far fetched but seeing the various other things missing in the world (like coke, cigarettes etc.) helped to make sure that the film wasn’t just focussed around the music or the characters, but how the world carried on and changed because of one change in the world. I thought that the way in which the events in the film took place was really well timed to evoke a variety of emotions, not only did the film make us laugh a lot through jokes and banter but also on edge and excited to see performances of the various songs on stage - leaving a lot of the audience fully engaged with the film. I genuinely thought that the plot of the film progressed very well though because it felt well stitched together which means that it is an easy pill to swallow. The plot aside though, I loved how there were a variety of cool gimmicks too, seeing John Lennon as an old man was powerful yet surprising to see, because it helped to ensure that the film told an important story well, of how regardless of fame or fortune, that there is always a more important thing to lose. I thought that this was a great way to help motivate Jack’s later actions, and it was what I liked about the film the most, the way in which actions and events were properly explained, and the film got us emotionally involved in them which meant that we actively got involved with the choices and feelings of the characters.
On the other hand, the film wasn’t perfect though - it definitely felt like there was a lack of the ‘spark’ which makes these types of films feel intense and exciting, like the performances of ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ - the performances here were good but they generally lacked the intensity and engagement factor that they could have had, not only would this have helped to make the musical impact of the film more powerful but it would have also ensured that the music scenes (an integral part of the film) were polished to really show off the film. There weren’t any scenes here which gave me goosebumps. Where Lily James plays her role perfectly, Himesh Patel - despite a fine singing voice - unfortunately, lacks the charisma and screen presence to carry the film and make it really exciting, the audience rarely feel his inner turmoil and passion for living this lie, it was such a big element of the film and even though the two people who also remembered was a nice touch, it simply didn’t cover up the fact that the guilt didn’t feel realistic or intense enough to strengthen his role of the main character. One of the main things I didn’t like though was how there didn’t seem to be a real representation of the Beatles, sure they were underlying throughout the film through their music but it just felt like it was more about Jack as a character instead of about the music and the band which definitely distracted from the point of the film, it’s not made to honour the Beatles in the same way other films have done but it just feels like more could have been done to involve them and create an immersive culture around their music instead of a few pictures of them in the credits.
Overall, I would give this film a 9. I thought that the storyline was fresh and exciting, the characters were really fun and their emotions and relationships were good and entertaining, as well as actually funny humour and a theme of banter between friends which made them feel genuine. Although it felt like a small few tweaks should have been made, such as the loss of the spark during some scenes, I wanted to see more passion from the characters towards each other and to the story but it felt like the characters were laid back, realistic yes, but not necessarily that entertaining. Overall though, I would definitely recommend this film, not only did it feel exciting but it was fresh and unique, and should definitely be watched when it is released in cinemas on the 28th of June.
Thank you for reading my review, I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I did watching the film and writing this review! Have a lovely day! :)
Kommentare