Yesterday (2019)

The review presents the film’s Beatles-free-world premise as brilliant, while finding its execution overly hesitant and familiar. It singles out the tantalising conceit as the film’s key strength.

Bradshaw finds the film ridiculous and indulgent but ultimately enjoyable, carried by its energetic comedy and Beatles songs. He praises Himesh Patel’s amiable performance and the songs’ charge, while noting that the plot can be hokey and straightforward.

The review calls the film a mind-bendingly corny but peppy fantasia. It singles out the Beatles-erasure premise and the resulting guilt-free musical comedy.

O'Hara finds the film warm, surprising and smart, with a pointed critique of celebrity culture beneath its Beatles nostalgia. She especially praises the stripped-down Beatles songs, while finding the central love story undercooked.

The standfirst suggests Richard Curtis’s usual troubles are less apparent in this film. The accessible page does not reveal a specific element singled out for praise or complaint.

The review finds the film likable and hummable but disappointing, as it never ignites the pop fireworks of Boyle’s best work. It praises the energy of the musical sequences, while faulting the film for treating the Beatles as a phenomenon rather than artists with distinctive personalities.

Seitz finds the film an uneven but appealing romantic comedy. He praises the performances and the emotional appeal of the Beatles songs.

Jenkins finds the film breezy and amusing but ultimately underpowered and incurious. He praises Himesh Patel’s charismatic performance while faulting the film for discarding its high-concept premise in favor of a conventional romance.

Macnab finds the romantic comedy pleasant but flimsy, with a premise that eventually undermines it. He praises Himesh Patel’s lively performances of the Beatles songs, while faulting the screenplay’s lack of momentum and coherence.

Brody finds the film’s premise fascinating but criticizes its conservative framework and flimsy romantic-comedy drama. He praises its enduring idea of artists recovering and restoring forgotten cultural treasures.

Scott finds the film more disappointing than bad, with its Beatles premise unable to sustain its charm. He appreciates the performances but finds the story’s romantic and comic elements underdeveloped.

Norman finds the film entertaining but ultimately weighed down by its silliness and failure to explore its premise. He praises Himesh Patel’s performance, especially his singing and freshness in a familiar role.

Cole criticizes the film for neglecting the implications of its premise and getting bogged down in mawkish romance. He praises Lily James’s bright screen presence, while noting that only the late, unexpected turn hints at a more ambitious film.

The critic finds the film occasionally enjoyable but ultimately silly and weighed down by contrived romance. He praises Kate McKinnon's entertaining performance, while faulting the script's unimaginative world-building and the film's limited musical reinvention.

Gleiberman finds the film cute and watchable but ultimately lacking the Beatles’ magic. He faults it for treating the songs as established facts of beauty instead of creating musical moments that let audiences rediscover them.

Edelstein finds the premise amusing and the first half fun, but says the film falters in its romantic plot and becomes clunky. He praises Himesh Patel’s appealing presence and singing voice, while faulting the musical numbers and the mishandling of the Beatles’ history.

Chang pans the film as an unimaginative, spiritually hollow use of the Beatles’ music. He praises Ed Sheeran’s sly, self-effacing performance as the movie’s strongest element.

The critic finds the film utterly joyous and smile-inducing. They especially praise its celebration of Beatles music, human connection and the British summertime.

Kozak finds the film an engaging, heartwarming romantic comedy that celebrates the power of great art. He especially praises the scene where Jack performs “Yesterday,” which makes familiar music feel new again.

The critic finds the film a warm, consistently funny crowd-pleaser that wins viewers over despite a potentially divisive plot turn. Patel and James’s engaging performances and chemistry are singled out for praise.

The review finds the film warm and enjoyable, despite a plot it considers full of holes. It especially praises the chemistry between Patel and James and their tender train-station scene.

The review finds Yesterday a winsome, joyful Beatles tribute, though its romance and ending feel conventional. It praises Himesh Patel’s charismatic performance and the film’s fresh approach to honoring the Beatles’ legacy.

Bui finds the film’s clever premise wasted on generic plotting and an uneasy mix of tones. She praises the charming leads and Beatles soundtrack, but says the film’s lifeless musical direction and weak second half squander its potential.

Goldberg finds the film constantly disappointing, criticizing its bland romance and failure to make good on its premise. He praises Kate McKinnon and Joel Fry as bright spots, and appreciates hearing the Beatles’ music.

Goble finds the film cloying and disappointing, with too little humor or passion. He especially faults it for celebrating the Beatles without explaining what makes their music resonate.

The critic finds the film uninteresting and poorly thought through, despite its good performances. They particularly fault its shallow handling of the alternate-history premise and its regressive solution to how Jack becomes a star.

Han finds the film deeply unsatisfying, arguing its promising premise cannot sustain a feature and its central romance feels dated and flimsy. She singles out Ed Sheeran’s self-aware performance as the most inventive and entertaining part.

Lazic argues that the film mishandles its Beatles-free premise and reduces the band’s history to marketable nostalgia. She praises the emotional force of Jack’s performance of “The Long and Winding Road,” while noting that its impact depends on viewers’ familiarity with the song.

The critic finds the film’s premise underexplored and its execution overly sentimental. They single out Richard Curtis’s cutesy writing and the lack of deeper ideas about how the Beatles’ music would land in the present.