My first experience with “tick,tick…BOOM!” was in 2017. I was in the midst of my “Hamilton” phase and ready to devour anything that Lin-Manuel Miranda appeared in. On a YouTube search, I found a video of him and Karen Olivio, another prominent Broadway actress, singing “Therapy” from “tick, tick,…BOOM!.” Immediately, I was hooked. I did more research on the musical and found out it was “Rent” creator Jonathan Larson’s autobiography in the form of a musical. Since then, “tick, tick, BOOM!” has regularly been included in my playlists. Therefore, when it was announced that it was being turned into a movie, and being directed by Miranda nonetheless, I was stoked.
Netflix’s latest hit is set in New York City in the early 1990’s which is in the midst of the AIDS epidemic. It is also the week before Larson’s 30th birthday. He is trying to get his musical, “Superbia,” off the ground while nearly being a starving artist. He’s in a terrible apartment with a diner job that he hates. Larson also faces tension between his girlfriend, Susan, and his best friend, Michael, who both believe that he needs to find a stable job. The best quote to sum up the movie is when Larson says, “Everyone’s unhappy in New York. That’s what New York is!”
Something Miranda is known for with his musicals and movies is that he reuses actors. “tick, tick,…BOOM!” proved to be no exception. During musical number “Sunday,” “Hamilton” fans will spot two familiar faces: Renee Elise Goldsberry and Philipa Soo, who originated the roles of Angelica Schuyler and Eliza Schuyler in “Hamilton,” respectively. Miranda himself also makes a quick appearance in the song. These are some fun cameos for avid fans of Miranda’s work.
Like many people, I was skeptical of Andrew Garfield playing the titular character of Jon. I have been a fan of Garfield since his 2012 movie “The Amazing Spider-Man,” but I did not think of him as a singer. I was so used to Raul Esparza’s voice on the Broadway original cast recording that I was convinced I could not hear another voice as Jon. However, the second the first song “30/90” came on, and I heard Garfield’s voice, I knew my fears were unwarranted. Garfield had the absolute perfect voice for the role. The fact that he is nominated for an Oscar for Best Actor should prove just how much he dedicated himself to this role.
My only gripe with this musical is that it cut two songs from the original soundtrack: “Sugar” and “Green, Green Dress.” In one scene, there is a reference to “Sugar,” and Garfield even sings a snippet from it. It was not included in the soundtrack, however. “Green, Green Dress,” on the other hand, does appear in the movie, but only on the radio. It is a cut song that appears on the soundtrack in which Garfield and Alexandra Shipp, who plays Susan, sing the song. I wish that version was the one that appeared in the movie.
With that being said, there are a few new songs not originally on the Broadway cast recording but by far the best is “Swimming.” It was written by Jonathan Larson for the stage version of “tick, tick,…BOOM!,” but it was cut. This is a song that has not been heard by the public in over thirty years which is an absolute tragedy.
I cannot recommend that you watch “tick, tick,…BOOM!” enough.The next time you have 121 minutes free, go on Netflix and check it out. With exceptional performances from Garfield, Shipp, Vanessa Hudgens, Robin de Jesus, Joshua Henry and Bradley Whitford, this is one movie you are not going to want to miss. You’ll laugh, and you’ll cry and you’ll have a new appreciation for what goes into making a Broadway musical.
