Guest Voices: Yesterday

"A world without The Beatles would be infinitely worse."

In the charming yet painfully bland Yesterday, Danny Boyle (Trainspotting, Shallow Grave, 28 Days Later, 127 Hours, etc.) teams up with Richard Curtis (Notting Hill, Love Actually, About Time etc.) to craft a promising what-if concept that falls short because of how uninspired the main formula is.

Yesterday is a competent realization of a brilliant concept, but it could have been so much more. There are a lot of hypothetical and philosophical concerns that they could've used to create a morally complex story and characters, yet it spirals into another conceit of routine rom-com filled with cliches. Even if we see this as just a British rom-com, Yesterday is far from what we hope to see from Boyle and Curtis.

The Beatles’ music is still as relevant today as Yesterday. And if you are a Fab Four fan like me, then the songs featured in the movie will remind you of certain events in your lives, first with a smile then, maybe, a tear or two as well.

This is Danny Boyle's gentlest film since the under-seen and underrated Millions (2004), it's also his most improbable, imperfect, and delightful work.

This movie may not rock your world, but it's a pleasant trip down Abbey Road.

"And when the brokenhearted people, living in the world agree, there will be an answer, let it be.
Whisper words of wisdom, let it be." 

- The Beatles (1970)

Rahul Menon was born and raised in New Delhi, India, and currently lives in Illinois. He is an assistant director, screenwriter and occasional actor, as well as a computer science engineer who worked as a software analyst and in advertising and marketing prior to entering the film industry. His screen debut was as screenwriter and assistant director of Saayanna Varthakal (Evening News) in 2018. He is currently pursuing a masters degree at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. Facebook, Instagram, IMDB.

Rahul Menon was born and raised in New Delhi, India, and currently lives in Illinois. He is an assistant director, screenwriter and occasional actor, as well as a computer science engineer who worked as a software analyst and in advertising and marketing prior to entering the film industry. His screen debut was as screenwriter and assistant director of Saayanna Varthakal (Evening News) in 2018. He is currently pursuing a masters degree at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. Facebook, Instagram, IMDB.