tick, tick... BOOM!

"I'm the future of musical theater." Jonathan Larson (Andrew Garfield)

Director Lin-Manuel Miranda (Tony and Pulitzer-winning creator of Hamilton) shows his genius was not a just one-off. In tick, tick . . .Boom! Hamilton revives the memory of Jonathan Larson (Andrew Garfield), the creator/composer of Rent, a contemporary rock musical that inspired a new generation of shows for Broadway.

That Larson should die at 35, the night before the preview of Rent, lends a melancholy air to this adaptation of his autobiographical musical and this film's influence by his first failure, Suburbia, inspired by Orwell's 1984.

Tick shows the evolution of Larson's signature realism, a fulfillment of his agent Rosa Stevens's (Judith Light) exhortation to write about what he knows. Poverty, paying rent, facing down rejection, protesting for justice, and HIV friends dying in droves are issues he knows and will exploit in his iconic musical.

Yet for this film, he is promoting his tick . . ., and while the lyrics are uneven and scattered but generally first-rate, it involves a too-large cast including aliens. Although Garfield is gawky and endearing in equal measure, Larson's work has the mentoring of Stephen Sondheim (Bradley Whitford), who I understand, knows something about musicals. Whitford, by the way, does a credible, impressive imagining of Sondheim.

The ticking boom of time in the title has several reference points, not just Larson's impending death but the dynamic change of Broadway Larson ignited. Andrew Garfield does a yeoman's job of giving life to Larson, who has a naivete, energy, and self-centeredness that bespeak the lasting influence he has had on the modern musical.

In some ways, Miranda has done that himself with this exciting, melancholic musical about musicals and the geniuses who lose their lives creating them. Netflix.

Correct me if i'm wrong. I've seen so many actors in their respective movies and also off-screen (i.e., just in interviews, not in flesh), this guy is charming on & off-screen. I mean, his acting is so unique and incredibly realistic. He provides extra details and mentions more than required crew members and respects them. I just hope people would give good reviews for this excellent movie.

Although everyone knows and admires Andrew Garfield thanks to the big screen, especially Spider-Man, he has always been a theater lover. Garfield becomes a giant in this movie, which combines the theater stage he loves so much with the big screen. If Steven Levenson had watched it, he would have loved this movie and Garfield.

Thought it wouldn't be my type of movie but I found it endearing and enjoyable to watch.

Andrew Garfield was great. Energetic, sang great, really captured the character and struggles.

The music are wonderful too.

I love Andrew Garfield and this was the main motif, for me, to see this film. And real, he did a great role. And , real, my appreciation for him becomes more intense. And the admiration for great job of Lin Manuel Miranda. The film can be seen as hommage to Jonathan Larson. In same measure, it works very well as nice sketch for many anonimous lives, not very different by the lead character, between love, friendship, self acceptance, ambitious projects and need to be remarked as fair result of not doubts vocation. And a nice kick to they far to have opportunity of courage to become a real name. That last thing , the mix of confrontations, desires and dreams and frustrations , well used, well served represents the great good point of this movie. And, sure, fine exploration of the universe of shows and expressions of pure freedom. It can be perceived as a sketch about truth in its complex nuances , off course, but, in same measure, it is a magnificent musical, impressive not only for familiar ingredients of genre, for admirable energy of Andrew Garfield, for beautiful acting for supporting roles , but for high honesty. It is a very, very, very honest film, thing so rare today. And that transforms it in a personal story, easy as kick to remind the transition from 29 years old to 30, the round crisis, the decision to begin real life. Few scenes in this film are just gorgeous. So, must see it ! Not for be seduced. But for a great, profound useful perspective about life.