In tick, tick...BOOM! Andrew Garfield plays composer Jonathan Larson, who gave us the Broadway musical Rent in the mid-90's. The movie is the first directing effort from current Broadway titan Lin Manuel Miranda, and it's a powerhouse debut for Lin behind the camera. Focusing on Larson's days struggling working days in a diner in New York City while writing music at night, most of the film is set in 1990 a few days before a pivotal workshop of his first musical, Superbia, and before his feared 30th birthday. The film intercuts between this time in his life and a stage narration seemingly during a presentation of his second musical that shares the name of this film. The title of the movie carries multiple references: his second musical, his fear of turning 30 without achieving a successful musical, and as viewers we know Larson passes at the tender age of 35, gone all too soon. He never got to see his dream of a huge Broadway success come true. Rent opened the day after he died suddenly and went on to dominate the circuit for over a decade.
There's a lot to like about this movie, even if you are only a casual fan of the movie musical. First, Larson's lyrics remain relevant today and he had a way with melody. The scenes of musical numbers are welcomed by a fearless performance from Garfield. My favorite scene is early on in the movie when, at a low point in a party in his small New York apartment, Larson begins tapping and singing, encouraging his friends to sing along. Before long, he's swinging around and leaping over furniture like a budget Fred Astaire. The song, the beat, the mood of the whole thing is so engaging that I wanted to watch that scene again immediately. Regarding Garfield's performance, I read that he had never really sung before but threw himself into this. He does a terrific job with the physicality and focus required for the musical aspects of the film, and it's one of his best dramatic, and comedic, performances so far. I think one of the best things about Garfield in this movie is he's so likable as Larson, and he makes you want Larson to achieve his dream. You don't want to see him give in for a paycheck as he is tempted to do. Garfield finds a way to show you how hard it is to take a risk like that. For my money, his is the performance to beat at this year's Oscars.
The movie serves as a moving tribute to a person that many, including myself, probably knew very little about. Yet, it also stands as something all too rare these days. A work of art that encourages dreamers to keep dreaming and toiling for their art. It is also a reminder that we should have dreams and we, as human beings, have the right to dream. It adds so much more to life to have a dream to work towards. It's thrilling to see the moments on screen when Larson has the small wins, even when he's faced with a mounting stack of bills and has to deal with situations like the power getting shut off in his small apartment. He turns that situation into a positive and writes one of his best songs.
Ultimately, I was left believing the movie is a celebration of life, art, and dreams. No small feat.
