Movie tip

Yesterday

This comedy is cute and sweet, as it takes off from a decidedly quirky premise: what if the electricity flashed out briefly around the world, and somehow that erased the existence of various things from history and from people’s memories? So no Coca-Cola. No cigarettes. And no Beatles. A struggling musician named Jack Malik (played by Himesh Patel) takes advantage of the latter, performing Fab Four classics as if they were his own. Patel exudes real star power, and Lily James, as his manager/possible love interest, is adorable. Best of all is Ed Sheeran in a droll turn as himself. The problem comes near the film’s end; the public’s reaction to Jack’s reveal seems unrealistic, and the appearance of a familiar figure feels exploitative.