Last week, I saw the movie Yesterday. I enjoyed hearing the classic hits of the Beatles including “I Want To Hold Your Hand, Hey Jude and Let It Be. Himesh Patel, who portrays the character, Jack Malik, has an incredible voice. He did them justice. I hope to hear more singing from him because he can really carry a tune.
A fun detail I enjoyed was Ed Sheeran’s appearance in the film. He helps Jack Malik improve “his” songs as well as saying that Malik was even more talented than him. I especially enjoyed the sequence of the Wembley concert. Ed Sheeran fans will remember that there’s a special edition of the album “X.” Another person who added to Yesterday was actress and comedian Kate McKinnon. Her caricatural portrayal of an artist’s agent was hilarious and well-done.
While watching the film, I noticed subtle references to the Beatles. A first example is the references to Paul McCartney holding an old-fashioned camera, but instead, it’s Jack Malik. Another moment, where the movie refers to the Beatles is when Jack Malik travels to Abby Road and Strawberry Fields. The next example is when Jack Malik is throwing a concert at the hotel where he was supposed to perform initially. He meets a couple who also remembers who the Beatles, wearing the Sergeant Pepper outfit. My favourite Beatles reference is when Jack meets an elderly John Lennon leaving in a quaint home in the country. These details gave the movie a lovely British Pop Culture flavour.
Visually, Yesterday was impressive with the use of psychedelic colours. Jack Malik’s suits looked like what the original members of The Beatles wore. Another example is the clip where the guy in charge of marketing shows the covers of Jack’s “albums.” Even the intertitles were colourful and designed like the fonts of the album covers of the Beatles. The homage to the 60s & 70s was nicely done.
It was a nice mix of music and storytelling all in one. Great job!
