tick, tick…BOOM! Is A Brilliant Look At Rent Composer Jonathan Larson’s Legacy

tick, tick…BOOM! is a semi-autobiographical musical by the late Jonathan Larson that tells the story of a young theater composer struggling to navigate love, friendship, and the pressures of being a creative in New York City when it feels like time isn’t on your side. That theme of running out of time is particularly poignant when you know the history of Larson and how he passed from an aortic aneurism the day of Rent’s first Off-Broadway preview performance. In Lin-Manuel Miranda’s directorial debut, they mix together the semi-autobiographical musical with biopic elements as we dive further into Larson’s life as someone with a creative dream and fears of being unable to achieve them.

I grew up loving Jonathan Larson and performed in numerous community theatre and college productions of Rent, so it goes without saying that the show and Larson have always had a place in my heart. Now thanks to people who have always supported and loved Larson as well, we’ve got a film adaptation of tick, tick…BOOM! that dives further into his story. With its raw energy and perfectly imperfect music, tick, tick…BOOM! is a beautiful tribute to Jonathan Larson, his legacy, musical theatre, and aspiring creatives. I love how they look at turning 30 like another coming of age. It’s so easy to feel like you’re getting old and haven’t accomplished what you want, but 30 is still young and whether you’re 30, 50, or 80, it’s never too late to pursue your dreams. You just have to put yourself out there and keep trying. There were songs that really stuck with me like “30/90,” “No More,” “Sunday,” “Come To Your Senses,” and “Louder Than Words.” Andrew Garfield really embodied Jonathan Larson, while Lin-Manuel Miranda was the perfect fit to direct this film especially with a background so similar to Larsons’.

tick, tick…BOOM! is also a treasure trove of references and cameos to Broadway and beyond. Dive deeper into the Easter eggs in the film, above.