Yesterday (2019)
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A struggling musician finds himself in a parallel reality where the Beatles never existed and he is the only one who remembers their music.
The story
Jack Malik is a struggling singer-songwriter from Lowestoft who performs to tiny audiences until a global power failure leads him into an alternate reality. Upon awakening, he discovers that while he remembers the legendary band the Beatles, the rest of the world has no knowledge of their existence. As he begins performing their iconic songs and passing them off as his own, he experiences a meteoric rise to global fame. However, his success comes with the complication of living in a world where the music he loves is technically 'new' to everyone else, forcing him to navigate the complexities of fame while grappling with the reality of his unique situation.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
After a 12-second power failure, Jack Malik enters a parallel universe where the Beatles never existed. He becomes a global sensation by performing their songs as his own. While his manager and friend Ellie Appleton supports him, Jack's fame leads to a complicated relationship with her. He travels to Liverpool to find inspiration and eventually meets a 78-year-old John Lennon, who lives a quiet life. Lennon advises him to be honest. At a massive concert at Wembley Stadium, Jack finally confesses to the crowd that he did not write the music and declares his love for Ellie. He then shares the songs for free on the internet, sabotaging his record deal to reclaim his integrity. The film ends with Jack and Ellie starting a family together, with Jack becoming a music teacher.
- First release year
- 2019
- Runtime (minutes)
- 116
- Production countries
- United Kingdom; United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Danny Boyle
- Writers
- Richard Curtis · screenplay; Jack Barth · story; Richard Curtis · story
- Cast and characters
- Himesh Patel · Jack Malik; Lily James · Ellie Appleton; Joel Fry; Ed Sheeran; Kate McKinnon; Robert Carlyle · John Lennon
- Genres
- romantic comedy; fantasy; musical
- Themes
- identity; fame; truth
- Tone and mood
- romantic; whimsical
- Setting
- A contemporary parallel universe featuring locations like Lowestoft, Liverpool, Los Angeles, and Moscow.
- Premise and plot tags
- alternate history; parallel universe; musical
- Source material / true-story basis
- Cover Version (2012 screenplay by Jack Barth)
- Reception
- The film received mixed reviews from critics but was well-received by audiences, earning an 'A-' CinemaScore.
- Reported review scores
- Metacritic · score: 55 · scale: 100 · review count: 45
- Production trivia
- The filmmakers paid $10 million for the rights to use the Beatles' music.; The film was based on a 2012 screenplay titled 'Cover Version'.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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