Tik, Tik… BOOM! Movie Review: A Love Letter to Failure
Tik, Tik… Boom! is a musical movie directed by Lin Manuel Miranda and starring Andrew Garfield. It is based on a musical that was created by Jonathan Larson, who is perhaps most famous for creating another famous musical called Rent.
I feel like Tik, Tik… Boom! is a love letter to anyone who had ever aspired to achieve a dream and faced countless setbacks. It is so relatable because it speaks to the insecurities in all of us, especially when it comes to the fear of being a failure or the fear of running out of time.
A major theme in this movie is about the main character, Jonathan, feeling the pressure of turning 30 years old and not seeing the success he wants to see as a writer. He feels like he’s in a rut, trapped in a place in his life where he has dedicated so much time to his art that it would be a shame to give up. But at the same time he’s turning 30, living in a shabby apartment, and making little to no money. Is it really sustainable to hold on to the possibility of having a musical hit when the odds are against him?
Seeing this struggle was really endearing for me…I am a sucker for people who strive against the odds and I love seeing the human spirit continuing to fight. I feel like everyone can relate or empathize with the message of this movie/musical. We all have certain expectations for ourselves and we often are our harshest critics when we aren’t living up to our expectations.
And did I forget to mention that Tik, Tik… Boom! is chalk full of catchy rock songs? Some of my favorites were “Come to Your Senses,” “Therapy,” “Boho Days,” and “30/90.” I was shocked at how great Andrew Garfield was at singing because I never really considered he had that side to him. Truly so talented!
Tik, Tik… Boom! made me cry at the end…The real life story of Jonathan Larson is tragic, but at the same time, this musical is really inspiring. It gave me hope and made me want to spend more time pursuing my passions and doing work that I love. So from an emotional perspective, I really think I gained a lot from this movie and I hope that more people are similarly inspired to be more brazen and unrelenting when it comes to living their best life possible.