Tick, Tick... Boom! (2021)

Set in the early 1990s, a struggling composer (Andrew Garfield) of musicals works in a diner while he prepares a workshop production of his first show, a futuristic musical. Based on the autobiographical musical by Jonathan Larson (RENT) and directed by Lin Manuel Miranda (IN THE HEIGHTS) in his feature directorial debut. While I admired Miranda's inventive direction and Garfield's powerhouse performance, the film didn't really work for me. I'm not a fan of Larson's RENT which I found mediocre and his songs here are are uninspired and what's a musical without good songs? The best musical sequence is a parody of Stephen Sondheim's Sunday from SUNDAY IN THE PARK OF GEORGE. Larson, at least as presented here, was a rather smug self centered character. I suppose we should congratulate Miranda for showing Larson warts and all but who would want to spend two hours with such an obnoxious character? Well, Garfield's performance demands to be seen so in that respect the movie is worth checking out but ultimately, the film is a failure. With Alexandra Shipp, Robin De Jesus, Vanessa Hudgens, Bradley Whitford as Stephen Sondheim, Judith Light (channeling Viveca Lindfors) with cameos by Bernadette Peters, Chita Rivera and Joel Grey.