Lin-Manuel Miranda’s directorial debut stuns with catchy music, stunning visuals and the existential question: how do we make the most of the time we’re given?
On the cusp of Broadway curtains rising again and the “seize the day” attitude ignited by the pandemic, the Jonathan Larson musical finds itself relevant once again.
Just days away from his 30th birthday, Jon (Andrew Garfield) finds himself questioning every crossroad. He’s been working on the same musical—Superbia—for eight years. Many of his friends who were once working artists have taken jobs in more stable careers. Jon still hasn’t had a musical hit the stage, comparing himself to the likes of Stephen Sondheim. He describes this incessant ticking he hears in his mind, like it’s counting down and he’s running out of time to make something of himself.
This has definitely been one of the most enjoyable musical adaptations I’ve seen in the last couple of years. Though I personally don’t have any experience with a stage production of it to compare, for having almost no knowledge of it up until the film, I was enamored with it from the very start. It sits very heavy on the chest of creatives, at one point Jon makes the point of saying when do you stop being a writer who waits tables to pay the bills and become a waiter with a hobby? I think the existential nature of the musical is adapted well into the film, and reflects our current society today as we rediscover who we are and what our success make us.
You can say what you want about the talent of the film or of Miranda’s work, but you can’t argue with how well they pulled this film off. It wasn’t Hollywood-heavy, even Garfield and Vanessa Hudgens in the lead didn’t feel like watching a star-studded cast. The film embodied its own without any Hollywood gimmicks or adapting the stage musical in the most literal sense.
Aside from the supporting cast of familiar theatre faces Ben Levi Ross, MJ Rodriguez and Joshua Henry, I thought it was a fun touch to put some cameos in the ensemble of faces we’re used to seeing in leading roles on Broadway. It was fun to see the familiar faces of Laura Benanti, Philippa Soo, Renee Elise Goldberry, Andre de Shields, and many more pop up for a scene or two.
The most impressive part of the film, aside from the sheer talent, was the use of film as a medium for the musical. The film integrated Jonathan Larson performing Tick, Tick … Boom! in front of an audience at New York Theatre Workshop in 1992 with the events that eventually would inspire the musical itself. The film blends the two seamlessly and takes advantage of the visual opportunity of film. On stage, this would not be possible to act out in the way they achieved it on screen, but it makes for fantastic use of film.
This is probably one of the best films I have seen recently, a stunning debut for Miranda, and definitely restores some of the faith in what a film adaptation of a musical can be. I highly recommend checking out this film— I think it’s touching for both theatre fans and all creatives alike.
The Broadway Edit 