Yesterday

by Philip Price

Director: Danny Boyle
Starring: Himesh Patel, Lily James & Sophia Di Martino
Rated: PG-13
Runtime: 1 hour & 56 minutes

There are a thousand holes one could poke in the premise of “Yesterday” (yes, we all know Coldplay wouldn't exist as we know them if The Beatles didn’t come first and of course The Beatles’ music wouldn't be received in the same fashion today as it was 50 years ago - timing is everything), but to dig into director Danny Boyle's latest in regard to these factors alone is to miss the point of the film completely.
​
First off, I'm a sucker for these types of light comedies that throw logic out the window and instate a "what if" scenario for the sake of our protagonist learning a valuable lesson (think the majority of Jim Carrey's comedies), but second - and more importantly - is that “Yesterday” is able to touch on both the sadness and re-assuredness in knowing that there are as many possibilities for us to fail in as there are for us to succeed; it's reassuring knowing we succeeded when we very easily could have failed while it's somewhat disheartening to know there are possibilities in our lives we'll never fulfill. The key to this, as with everything in life, is of course finding balance and not so much dwelling on what might have been, but as screenwriter Simon Curtis is so consistently good at effectively putting it: cherish the moment, cherish the present moment.

Boyle's efficient storytelling and cutting techniques also help this would-be saccharine tale come off with the necessary edge that pairs perfectly with its singular soundtrack. Call me a sucker if you like, but I'll drink this Kool-Aid all day long.