Jonathan Larson's legacy is honored more than adequately in 'tick, tick...BOOM!'

2021 was a year of showstopping movie musicals, with Steven Spielberg’s adaptation of Leonard Bernstein's “West Side Story” and Jon Chu’s film “In the Heights” — as adapted from Lin Manuel Miranda's Broadway production — as the highlights. Among these excellent films is my personal favorite, Netflix’s recreation of Jonathan Larson's musical, “tick, tick…BOOM!”

This semi-autobiographical tale of the short, precious life of Larson — a beloved composer and playwright — is Miranda’s directorial film debut and stars Andrew Garfield as Larson. The film was released on Nov. 12, 2021, and has since been nominated for many major awards. Most recently, Garfield won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Musical or Comedy.

The story of “tick, tick…BOOM!” is set in 1990 and follows Larson on the cusp of his 30s, desperately pushing to get his sci-fi musical “Superbia” — a futuristic rock retelling of George Orwell’s “1984” — completed and produced.

Before his untimely death of an aortic aneurysm at the age of 35 in 1996 and the great success of his long-running Broadway show “Rent,” Larson faced almost a decade-long struggle to make it big in the New York City performing arts world, which is chronicled in "tick, tick...BOOM!"

Apart from reaching toward what feels like an impossible dream, Larson also faces challenges in his personal life: Many of his closest friends and colleagues are dying at the hands of the HIV/AIDS epidemic, made worse by an often hostile, homophobic and conservative political landscape.

Additionally, Larson, dedicated but obstinate, is unable to compromise on his professional aspirations and neglects the idea of settling down with his partner, Susan.

The title of the film is inspired by an ever-ticking clock and how being human is largely about making the most of our time on Earth and realizing our purpose — whatever that ends up meaning.

What I love most about “tick, tick…BOOM!” is its reinterpretation and celebration of failure, which is something that those interested in a probably difficult, but worthwhile, career in the arts will find comforting.

Speaking on an episode of the Variety Awards Circuit podcast, Garfield said, “What (Miranda) has crafted with this film is that it’s not about 'Rent.' It’s not about a great success. It’s about 'how do you live through failure? And how do you re-arc your commitment to your original dream after being smacked around by the world — smacked around by the industry you’re trying to crack?'”

Larson originally performed “tick, tick…BOOM!” as a solo performance, but the small-but-important cast of characters added to later revisions of the show, and the Netflix film speaks to its universal emotional resonance.

In the world of Garfield’s Larson, the main cast of the film includes Robin de Jesús, Alexandra Shipp, Joshua Henry and Vanessa Hudgens. In particular, de Jesús, who plays Larson’s best friend, Michael, shares amazing chemistry with Garfield and is integral to the gut-wrenching emotional conclusion of the film.

There are also several legends of theater, film and television who have supporting roles in the film, including MJ Rodriguez, Bradley Whitford, Judith Light and Laura Benanti. The late Stephen Sondheim, a major influence and mentor of Larson’s, and in turn, Miranda’s, also has a lovely Easter egg in the film.

Garfield’s award-winning performance in the film was brought about by a chance connection between the actor and Miranda: Their common massage therapist, Greg Miele. Miele cleverly guessed that the Tony-winning amazing Spider-Man could also sing and recommended him to Miranda.

Spoiler alert: He couldn’t have been more correct.

To step into Larson’s shoes, Garfield went through several months of vocal training and piano lessons. Garfield dedicated his passionate portrayal of Larson to his mother, Lynn, who sadly died in 2019 of cancer. Garfield credits his mother for the inspiration to pursue a creative and full life.

In the two hours that one sits down to watch "tick, tick...BOOM!" it’s easy to feel swept away by the complete range of emotions through the brilliant soundtrack, which is made up of 17 songs.

There’s existential confusion and frustration in songs like “30/90,” “Johnny Can’t Decide” and “Swimming.” You can find a good laugh in songs like “Therapy,” “Play Game” and “No More,” and a good cry in the film's rendition of “Come to Your Senses” by Shipp and Hudgens as well as the end credits version by rhythm and blues artist Jazmine Sullivan.

The dreamlike sequence of “Sunday” at the Moondance Diner is filled with cameos from Broadway favorites including Bernadette Peters, André de Shields, Chita Rivera, Renée Elise Goldsberry, Phillipa Soo, Adam Pascal and more. The catchy “Boho Days” (a precursor to Rent’s “La Vie Bohème”) and soaring grand finale “Louder Than Words” bring triumph and the lighthearted assurance that everything will be alright in the end.

“tick, tick…BOOM!” has quickly become my comfort musical. The creative directions that Miranda takes with a story that hits close to home for him as a songwriter is glorious to witness on-screen.

2021 was most definitely the “Year of Lin” as everything that the multihyphenate performer touched turned to artistic gold — “In The Heights” (which Miranda wrote), “tick, tick…BOOM!” (which he directed) and “Encanto” (which Miranda wrote original songs for) are some of the most treasured stories of the year. 

“tick, tick…BOOM!” is a timeless story filled with warmth and light and packed with electric performances that theater nerds and newbies alike will appreciate. Larson is an icon of musical theater whose actions and words speak so loud they will definitely make your heart sing.