I have long loved Rent, and was fortunate enough to see it live a few years ago thanks to Broadway Across Canada. I also loved the movie adaptation, which…well, it wasn’t for everyone.
One of the greatest tragedies of Rent is that the night before it opened, its creator, Jonathan Larson, tragically died at age 35 of an aortic aneurysm. He never knew that he had written a musical that would become a cultural phenomenon, and create Rentheads around the world. He never even saw the rave reviews from the media preview.
Tick, Tick… Boom! is based on the semi-autobiographical musical of the same name written by Jonathan Larson himself. The movie tells the story of Jon, on the cusp of turning 30, as he tries to complete his would-be “break-through” musical Superbia – a show that he has poured most of his 20s into.
While Andrew Garfield is magnificent in his role as Jon, it is also the beautiful direction of Lin-Manuel Miranda that makes this movie a hit. The film masterfully weaves between the songs and narrative with exceptional balance, care, and camera-work. You also see the seeds of what would inspire and become Rent, including his friends being affected by HIV/AIDS epidemic to barely being able to pay the power bill. In one scene, you see Jon work out the first few notes for Rent‘s “One Song Glory” as an Easter egg for fellow fans.
If you haven’t seen a live show for a while, this one will certainly fill the void you’ve had in your eardrums for an epic Broadway chorus. Do yourself a favour and press play on Tick, Tick… Boom! now on Netflix.
