tick, tick...Boom! (2021, Lin-Manuel Miranda)

[Small Man Big Horse]

This is Jonathan "Rent" Larson's semi-autobiographical musical, starring Andrew Garfield and directed by Lin-Manuel Miranda. It covers the couple of weeks leading up to the workshop of the first musical Larson ever wrote, though he knows that it's missing an important song and cannot write it, and due to this his behaviour is threatening to destroy his relationships with his girlfriend Susan and closest friend Michael. Andrew Garfield's really great and leads a superb cast, visually Miranda brings a lot of flare to what can have been a dull tale, and it's brutally honest about what a pretentious and selfish shit Larson could be, but while there are a couple of great songs the majority are likeable but little more than that, and that's a slight problem for me as the film repeatedly keeps on telling us what a genius he was and how he changed the world of musicals for ever more and I don't agree. Still, it's something I enjoyed a lot while watching it, but I'd definitely say it's one for musicals fans only. 7.8/10

[phantom_power]

I am not a massive musical fan but enjoyed this. Garfield is fantastic in it and Miranda does well in making, as you say, a fairly rote plot

[touchingcloth]

I love musicals in general and Lin-Manuel in particular, but I don't particularly enjoy Rent. I thought I'd enjoy this film because of Lin, the fact it's been well reviewed, and that I don't actively hate Rent by any stretch, but I bailed about fifteen minutes in because Garfield's acting - and that of other cast members - was ridiculously hammy.

SMBH's review makes me think I was probably, sadly, right to have stopped watching when I did; I know Lin-Manuel identifies personally with Larson's story, but if this doesn't hang together as a musical then I'm not too interested in watching a hagiography. I'll put the soundtrack on at some point and reassess.

[olliebean]

I can't stand Rent; I've tried to watch all three filmed versions of it, and never made it through the first act, largely because of how annoying most of the music is. I liked this, though, but not as much as when I saw it on stage.

[touchingcloth]

La Vie Boheme in the Chris Columbus film is a cracking number, though. That said, I've only seen the film once and I was quite stoned while watching it.

[dissolute ocelot]

I enjoyed this despite never having seen Rent. It is about the importance of creativity and art and a life devoted to that. But still shows him being a dick, and reminds him how great art comes from paying attention to what's around you. Although it could have been more satirical/critical, and he's a straight white man surrounded by gay and non-White supporting characters. Music is so-so but I'm not a show tune fan, so wasn't too bothered. Direction is great, really sweeps you along, and some fun staging of the songs: the flat share shit is funny (is that where Friends should be set?), although brunch didn't quite work. And Garfield is excellent: as in Under The Silver Lake he takes a character who could have been a total asshole, and creates warmth and sympathy.