Lin-Manuel Miranda makes his directorial debut with tick, tick...BOOM! It is a semi autobiographical musical about Jonathan Larson (Andrew Garfield) who died of an aneurysm at the age of 35.
The film has Larson under pressure trying to complete a much needed new song in time for a workshop of his futuristic musical Superbia. Something he has been working on for 8 years and he is just about to turn 30.
Larson works in a diner, lives in a crummy apartment and is unable to pay his bills.
Other friends are getting on with their lives. Such as best friend Michael who gave up his dreams of being an actor and did well in the world of advertising. His girlfriend Susan has a good job offer to teach dancing in the Berkshires. Larson knows that if he does not go with her, their relationship will come to an end.
On the other hand some of Larson's other friends have been dying of AIDS while still in their 20s.
The movie has a simple plot. The desperation and the hard slog of being a writer. The hope that you will be discovered when failure is knocking on the door. Larson has to fends off temptations such as getting a job writing advert jingles.
This is Bruce Springsteen's Dancing in the Dark come to life. Ironically the Boss was told by his manager that he needed a radio friendly tune that would tie together his album Born to Run.
In the movie. Stephen Sondheim (Bradley Whitford) is supportive of Larson. He suggests that Superbia needed a new song to close act two.
The ticking clock motif not only represents pressure but suggests that the clock is ticking down on Larson's life.
Andrew Garfield learned to sing for this musical. Garfield makes you care for Larson even though he is driven and self absorbed which in some he needed to be.
Lin-Manuel keeps the musical energetic and vibrant. He lays hints that mapped out Larson's future work, that of Rent. The beginning of the movie does not hide the tragedy of Larson's life.
The film has Larson under pressure trying to complete a much needed new song in time for a workshop of his futuristic musical Superbia. Something he has been working on for 8 years and he is just about to turn 30.
Larson works in a diner, lives in a crummy apartment and is unable to pay his bills.
Other friends are getting on with their lives. Such as best friend Michael who gave up his dreams of being an actor and did well in the world of advertising. His girlfriend Susan has a good job offer to teach dancing in the Berkshires. Larson knows that if he does not go with her, their relationship will come to an end.
On the other hand some of Larson's other friends have been dying of AIDS while still in their 20s.
The movie has a simple plot. The desperation and the hard slog of being a writer. The hope that you will be discovered when failure is knocking on the door. Larson has to fends off temptations such as getting a job writing advert jingles.
This is Bruce Springsteen's Dancing in the Dark come to life. Ironically the Boss was told by his manager that he needed a radio friendly tune that would tie together his album Born to Run.
In the movie. Stephen Sondheim (Bradley Whitford) is supportive of Larson. He suggests that Superbia needed a new song to close act two.
The ticking clock motif not only represents pressure but suggests that the clock is ticking down on Larson's life.
Andrew Garfield learned to sing for this musical. Garfield makes you care for Larson even though he is driven and self absorbed which in some he needed to be.
Lin-Manuel keeps the musical energetic and vibrant. He lays hints that mapped out Larson's future work, that of Rent. The beginning of the movie does not hide the tragedy of Larson's life.