Photo from Netflix

By Medha Sarin

Three weeks ago, Netflix dropped “Tick, Tick…Boom!” Directed by Lin-Manuel Miranda, the musical tells the story of Jonathon Larson, the creator of “Rent”, as he was writing his first play, “Superbia”. The screenplay by Steven Levenson is based on a semi-autobiographical musical by Larson.

I walked into this musical not knowing a lot of things. Like the fact that Andrew Garfield, who plays Larson, can sing; until now, I’d only ever known him as one of the friendly neighborhood Spider-Men Marvel has bestowed upon us. But Garfield played his role beautifully, embodying the ambitious naïveté of a young playwright trying to make it in a hit-or-miss New York art scene.

Another thing I didn’t know much about: Broadway. Well, besides the movie adaptations that have burst into mainstream pop culture, like “Hamilton” and “Dear Evan Hansen”. I wasn’t familiar with these stage musicals before they became movies, and I definitely don’t know the highlights of Broadway history, like “Rent”.

So as you can probably guess, when my mom and I settled in front of the TV a couple days ago, we didn’t watch the same musical. I knew nothing about Jonathon Larson’s work, but my mom had seen the movie “Rent” multiple times and loves the songs. I had tried watching “Rent” while in elementary school, but tuned out as soon as Collins was mugged in the opening scenes. That depressing reality of life was too much for my Disney brain.

Regardless, both of us loved the movie. By the end of it, I was deeply inspired to go back into the historical records and give “Rent” another try. And my mom felt a stronger appreciation for Larson’s struggle.

But“Tick, Tick…Boom!” is not about “Rent”, though it helps set the scene historically and culturally. One of the very first lines of the movie is, “This is Jonathon Larson’s story…before the Tony Awards…before the Pulitzer Prize…before we lost him…” The focus is on the birth of Larson’s first musical (eight years in the making); it alternates between a narrated monologue and an actual storyline.

“Tick, Tick…Boom!” is such fun. I was engaged throughout, but there were times of real captivation where everything—the background, the character’s expression, the music, the dialogue—clicked to make a perfect moment. 

The allegro pacing made it so that even Garfield answering the phone was exciting to watch. The dialogue was very genuine; at some points, I felt that, “Yes! That’s exactly what someone would say in that situation!” But the movie sprinkled doses of showy Broadway adventure at the same time, mixing idealistic passion with the realism of showbiz in a truly beautiful way.

And the music. Oh, the music. ‘Nuff said.

In the final minutes of the movie, I suddenly felt a strong sense of martyrdom reminiscent of what I’d felt in “Hamilton”. As a tear-stained, burdened Garfield sang, I felt like this man, Jonathan Larson, is the ultimate savior of Broadway. Maybe this heroism sensation is a Lin-Manuel Miranda thing? Or just an unavoidable part of a biographical drama? Or maybe it’s well worth it, since Larson’s “Rent” is widely considered to have revolutionized Broadway.

All in all, it’s wonderful, genuine and realistic. Spot-on dialogue and Garfield’s spectacular performance, among so many other things, lead to an excitingly pleasant two hours. FYI, fans of “Hamilton” and “High School Musical” will get a special treat! Definitely worth a watch, for “Rent” fans and Broadway newbies alike.