●●●●○

Andrew Garfield has always been regarded as a very capable actor, with his appearances in the Spider-Man Franchise and The Social Network (David Fincher,  2010) showing an actor very willing to flex his creative muscles. But his latest performance in the masterpiece that is Tick,Tick….Boom! (Lin-Manuel Miranda, 2021)  reveals an actor who has truly come into his prime. There is Oscar buzz around Garfield already, and for good reason. Garfield has managed to achieve something few blockbuster actors have succeeded in. He has embodied the character of Jonathan Larson to the extent that you feel completely immersed in the storyline. At no point was I rudely confronted by the fact that it was Andrew Garfield playing Larson. It was a delight, and quite frankly a rare treat. 

This movie musical centres around the life of Jonathan Larson, the mastermind behind the hit Broadway musical Rent. The movie follows a self-narrative style interspersed with musical numbers, similar to the structure of the Larson musical of the same name. Deftly and expertly done, Miranda makes excellent use of the original songs crafted by Jonathan Larson. There is the signature Miranda touch in this musical that toes the line between enjoyable and just a little insufferable or, for a better word, cringe. Thankfully, the musical errs firmly on the side of enjoyable on this occasion. Garfield is supported by a very strong ensemble cast, including Vanessa Hudgens and Robin de Jesús. 

While the movie, running at nearly two hours, drags very slightly, what carries this film is Garfield’s committed desperation as a man ‘running out of time’.This sentiment is one keenly felt by most as we approach stereotypical ‘milestones’ in life, such as one’s thirtieth birthday. The concept of running out of time becomes more poignant for today’s viewership when we consider the context of today’s society as we battle an economic, health, and climate crisis. 

Like most of us, at many points, Jonathan Larson faces the prospect of ‘giving up’ and joining the rat race in favour of stability. But it is his emotional and steadfast determination in the end that strikes a chord as he plans to ‘write the next one’ when his original script falls short.

Overall, Tick,Tick…Boom! manages to be all at once a heartwarming snapshot of the underappreciated genius that was Jonathan Larson, and a rare musical that even the most cynical of moviegoers could (reluctantly) hum along to. 

Tick, Tick… Boom! is available to stream on Netflix now.