Imagine a world where there’s no Beatles; no Paul, John, George or Ringo too. Imagine that you’re the only one who remembers the greatest lyrics of all time: what would you do about that? That’s what Jack, a struggling musician faces in the Yesterday movie. Does this rom-com hit the high notes or leave us flat? Yesterday Parent Movie Review will help you decide if your family should see this one in the movie theater (spoiler – sing it with me- yeah, yeah yeah…!) Yesterday hits theaters on June 28, 2019.”
I attended an early screening of this movie as the general public.
I’ll be honest here- I am not a major music fangirl. I enjoy music, but I don’t critique it well or hear what others hear or even get moved by it as some do. I just don’t have that gene in my DNA I guess.
But if there was a universal band to fangirl my vote would be The Beatles.
I don’t care how old or how young you are; these songs speak to the human spirit and just, well, move you.
Yes, even YOU. Or at least, even me, so that’s saying something!
Yesterday movie is a delightful rom-com that is pretty much my favorite movie of the summer. Yeah, I know, summer hasn’t even started yet.
But I honestly cannot imagine a movie more needed than this one right now.
Table of Contents
About Yesterday Movie
From Universal Pictures:
Yesterday, everyone knew The Beatles. Today, only Jack remembers their songs. He’s about to become a very big deal.
Jack Malik (Himesh Patel, BBC’s Eastenders) is a struggling singer-songwriter in a tiny English seaside town whose dreams of fame are rapidly fading, despite the fierce devotion and support of his childhood best friend, Ellie (Lily James, Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again). Then, after a freak bus accident during a mysterious global blackout, Jack wakes up to discover that The Beatles have never existed … and he finds himself with a very complicated problem, indeed.
Performing songs by the greatest band in history to a world that has never heard them, and with a little help from his steel-hearted American agent, Debra (Emmy winner Kate McKinnon), Jack’s fame explodes. But as his star rises, he risks losing Ellie — the one person who always believed in him. With the door between his old life and his new closing, Jack will need to get back to where he once belonged and prove that all you need is love.
Rated: PG-13
Run Time: 112 minutes
Yesterday Movie Review
I love a good Rom-Com as I admitted in The Long Shot review.
I knew going in that this movie had the Love Actually, Four Weddings and a Funeral, and Notting Hill screenwriter on board which meant they probably knew a thing or two about keeping a Rom-Com lover happy.
And they did. They really did.
It wasn’t just me, either. The entire theater laughed and sang along from start to finish and had an amazing time at this love story tucked inside a concert.
Jack, played by Himesh Patel has outstanding comedic timing, the voice of an angel, and cuteness to spare. All things a romantic lead needs in a movie like this.
His chemistry with Lily James works as well, even if it takes him half a movie (and half a lifetime) to realize it.
I don’t want to give anything away because there are so many charming moments in this movie to experience, so I’ll just say this. In a formulaic story like this, the writers and director kept the audience guessing with some minor twists to the plot.
And those twists turned out to be a lot of fun to watch play out on screen. Just when you expect doom and destruction, the movie veers an unexpected way and you are off to the songs again. It’s smart, it’s funny, it’s sweet, and just so dang good, y’all!
I’m predicting this one as the sleeper hit of the summer, and one of those movies that will become a must-watch every time it plays on TNT.
It’s that good. Love is all you’ll need to enjoy this summer hit.
Oh- and don’t forget to pre-order your Yesterday soundtrack!
No-Guilt Fangirls Podcast Yesterday Movie Review
When Can You Pee During Yesterday?
If you are a big Beatles fan, leaving during the songs might be hard to do. But I feel like if you have to make a choice, leave during a song you know vs a joke you’ll miss.
I mean, you know the songs, you know how they go, and the rendition of them are pretty Beatle-esque.
So if you’ve gotta go, pick a song and make a dash to the bathroom during Yesterday.
Top moments to run to the restroom:
- When Jack’s mom suggests he go to the dentist around the 20-minute mark.
- You can bolt out during the first recording session when Jack and Ellie meet Gavin. You won’t miss anything, really.
- Ed Sheeran and Jack have a songwriting contest. This is a decent time to run out.
- Lastly, there’s a moment before the big album launch where Jack is backstage and visited by his parents.
Are There End Credit Scenes In Yesterday?
Nope. You might want to stick around for the music though!
I mean, it’s The Beatles and you know you can’t get enough of that.
Yesterday Parent Movie Review
Yesterday is rated PG-13 and I feel like they really could have shaved a few minor things out of this one to make it PG. Yesterday is mostly kid-friendly and I’d even be ok with my 8-year-old watching it.
It’s pretty clean as far as language and sex are concerned.
I counted two references to smoking pot, some discussion about sex (or lack of it), one G-d D-mmit and a few uses of the Lord’s name in vain.
There’s no nudity (other than Jack changing his shirt) but there is implied sex that happens off-screen. There isn’t any hardcore violence of any sort in this movie.
This is one of those movies that would be great for parents and teens to watch together and discuss the moral implications that Jack was up against. There could be some fantastic car-ride conversations based on what they just saw:
- How do you think he handled a “victimless” crime?
- Do you think the could have done something different early on?
- How do you face situations that might come up where lying is easier than telling the truth?
- What did you think about the actions of his agent and how she treated Jack?
Rating: 9/10
Patty Holliday is a parent movie reviewer, writer, and podcaster living in the Washington, DC area. Her goal is to bridge the gap between casual fandom and picky critic with parent movie and television reviews. As a lifelong fangirl and pop culture connoisseur, she’s been creating online since 2009. You can find her work at No-Guilt Disney.com, No-Guilt Fangirl.com, No-Guilt Life, and as host of the top-rated No-Guilt Disney Podcast.