Many Beatles fans are left asking themselves that very question after the release of Danny Boyle’s trailer for his new movie, Yesterday earlier this week.
In the movie, coming to theaters in June 2019, the main character, Jack, a huge Beatles fan, is involved in a car accident. After waking up in the hospital he realizes he now lives in a world in which The Beatles never existed. This is my absolute worst nightmare. If one day I woke up and all The Beatles songs were erased from my memory, it would be a really sad day. I mean I guess it wouldn’t because I wouldn’t know I was missing anything, but I can think about how horrible it would be to not have The Beatles in my life. Anyways, I’m the trailer it shows Jack profiting off the notion that the band never formed, claiming the songs as his own, and becoming a huge music sensation. The non musical side of the movie is a love story. The romcom follows the main character, played by Himesh Patel, and his best friend Ellie, played by Lily James, as they navigate Jack’s rise to stardom and the effect it has on their relationship. As a huge Beatles fan, I’m up for anything that’ll get people, who otherwise wouldn’t have heard a Beatles song, discover the magic that is the Beatles, although I can’t imagine how someone would get through life without hearing at least one. I myself discovered the band from another movie musical that incorporated songs initially performed by the foursome.
It’s hard for me to get excited about this new movie for one big reason. Although the concept is different, I feel like this movie has already been made and it was done really well. I watched Across the Universe when I was thirteen and it changed my life. It was my introduction to The Beatles and opened up my world to a whole new era of music. I feel like this is the only musical we need with Beatles music. It was done beautifully. The songs were integrated perfectly and was visually beautiful. Across the Universe in my opinion, should be an example to filmmakers everywhere on how to execute their artistic vision without making it confusing for audiences. Every sequence was perfect. My favorite being when one character was called for the draft and went in for his check up. The song played was “I Want You (She’s so Heavy) and it portrayed the character as a Ken doll being morphed into what a soldier going to Vietnam should be. The social commentary the movie was able to get Across was also great. Although I’m excited a new movie will show The Beatles some love, I’m a little weary that it won’t live up to Across the Universe. I just know I’m gonna be sitting there the whole time comparing the two movies.
In Across the Universe, the songs were there to help move the story along and to help audiences see what the characters were thinking. The songs were essentially their own character in the movie. In Yesterday, it seems as if the songs are secondary to the plot and will only be heard when being performed. Either way I’m here for anything having to do with my favorite band, I’m just nervous it will be done wrong. I will remain hopeful however, and promise not to be to judgmental while watching, and to try not to compare the two movies the whole time. The movie also stars Ed Sheeran as himself, James Corden as himself, Saturday Night Lives Kate McKinnon and Lamorne Morris from the television show New Girl.
Yesterday will premier on June 28, 2019.