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"Hey Dude" You've Got to See Yesterday (2019)

Writer's picture: Victoria Francesca Victoria Francesca

Updated: Mar 23, 2020

Opening Statement: I hope to enlighten my readers on a short journey into my views! I plan to post every Sunday for the most part, excluding any spur of the moment ideas I may have or a busy schedule which may restrict me from posting that week. Thank you and enjoy!


When plans for a sunny beach day got rained on, I found myself heading over to the movies to see Yesterday, the new film about a world without The Beatles. I found the film quite exciting and different than the average blockbuster film we see today.


Starting off with plot, I found the storyline- of a world where only one person remembers The Beatles and makes a fortune playing off their work as his own- riveting. There was a plethora of dry humor between all of the characters, which made the audience all chuckle from time to time. I did find that the story itself moved a bit fast, I felt as if character Jack Malik (played by Himesh Patel) went from a nobody to a somebody in an instant. Personally, I would have loved to see more conflict on his journey there, because it would have slowed down his path to fame, and made the film slightly more rich and believable.


Continuing on with the plot, I was a bit confused as to why it wasn't more clear that Jack and Ellie (played by Lily James) weren't dating in the beginning of the movie. From the start, it was easy to believe that they were a couple, rather than just close friends, as we later see that they are not.


In terms of aesthetics, this film felt very much like an independent film, which is why it differs from the average blockbuster today. For me, I hope to make films with that same "indie" quality, that also gets displayed on the big screens. There are strong feelings of truth and connection, that are brought on through independent filmmaking that often get lost in the process of creating a blockbuster film, and I aspire to conjure up these feelings and more in all of my future productions. When these productions become mainstream, that is when millions of people are able to absorb these amazing feelings that are often forgotten in popular films today.


The camera work was what made it seem so incredibly "indie" in my eyes, with shots from all different angles, through small openings, reflections through glass and much more. These all really "worked" for Yesterday. There was even a slow-motion shot, which I've noticed is used sparingly in filmmaking because it is easily seen as "cheesy" (but that did not happen here). Remember my post about Jane the Virgin? Well, some of the rarely used editing techniques of text bubbles on screen and others, that are seen in Jane the Virgin, can also be seen in Yesterday, so be sure to notice that connection while watching!


Going along with the aesthetics of this film, the location was absolutely beautiful. Having really been filmed in England for much of the time, there is a certain feeling of travel and far-away places, that go with this scenery, which intrigued me.


Moving forward to the actors, I thought that Himesh Patel, who played main character Jack Malik, executed his performance with excellence. I thoroughly enjoyed his composure, and the detailed facial expressions, word articulation, and pace at which he brought his character to life. I almost felt his acting was similar to way in which Russell Brand acts in how he said certain words and moved (and I am not saying this solely because they both have British accents).


Some chill-worthy moments in Yesterday include a yellow submarine and a surprising guest that both breaks and warms the hearts of audience members. To avoid spoilers, I will not say much more than to look out for these two moments when you watch this movie, they are sure to move you!


SPOILER ALERT FROM HERE ON


This film also left me with some questions. At the end, I wondered if the world ever goes back to knowing who The Beatles were. I also was stuck as to why there was no reaction shot from the other two who also remembered The Beatles, as Jack revealed the truth to the world. I felt like this shot would have been a nice add-on to the scene and the overall shock that the world was experiencing at that moment.


Continuing with the other two who knew (played by Sarah Lancashire and Justin Edwards), I thought they were going to approach Jack with some anger rather than with appreciation as they did towards the end. I guess, in the style of The Beatles, peace and love, their appreciation was justified and made sense in that aspect. Still, it would have also been understandable, plot wise, if they were angry with Jack for stealing everything and playing it off as his own.


NO MORE SPOILERS FROM THIS POINT ON


Overall, I loved Yesterday and I can't wait until it is out to buy! I have been a Beatles fan for a very long time, and their music and the era for which they were up-and-coming, truly resonates with me in my soul. So this film was definitely an enjoyable one for me. Plus, Ed Sheeran had a significant part in the film as himself, and I LOVE Ed Sheeran, so all together, it was two hours of everything I love- detailed "indie" styled filmmaking, Ed Sheeran, and of course, The Beatles! I look forward to watching this film again to possibly catch some of the details I may have missed and to enjoy the amazing ride once more. In the words of Ed Sheeran, "Hey Dude," get all your friends to "Come Together" and check out Yesterday, it will not disappoint!


P.S. I just found out that it's Ringo Starr's birthday today, July 7th, how perfect of a time to write this post?!?!?! Happy Birthday Ringo Starr!!! (I hope he sees it)!

~Francesca Reviews


 

If you enjoyed this post, be sure to subscribe to the mailing list to receive notifications when a new post is up! Disclaimer: All of my posts are based off of my own knowledge, opinion, and beliefs and this blog is only meant to be a platform to share those things with the world. I am always open to hear what you all have to say about the topics I write about, listening to many perspectives can only enhance my knowledge! Therefore, feel free to start a friendly conversation sharing your opinions! Thank you! Photo Credits: https://www.usanetwork.com/news/re-meet-the-beatles-in-yesterday-opening-in-theaters-june-28

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yesterday_(2019_film)

 

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