Overview
A struggling musician discovers the power of the Beatles' music and faces a moral dilemma about success and love.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Mild
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Mild
- witty
- warm
- uplifting
- date night
- music night
What critics said
Critics generally found the Beatles-driven premise and performances charming but felt the film settles into a conventional and underdeveloped romantic comedy.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Jack awakens in a world where the Beatles and their songs are unknown, creating an alternate version of contemporary music history.
Jack performs Beatles songs while accepting authorship and fame that properly belong to the absent band.
Jack's global musical fame distances him from Ellie and forces him to reconsider what he actually values.
The Beatles catalogue supplies Jack's performances, career trajectory, and the film's central connection to shared cultural memory.
Films like Yesterday, and why
About Time
shares a high-concept fantasy premise, romantic conflict, and feel-good musical comedy tone
Love Actually
shares Richard Curtis-style romance, witty dialogue, and an emotionally uplifting resolution
Begin Again
shares a musician protagonist, performance-centered storytelling, and themes of ambition and authenticity
The Family Man
shares alternate-reality comedy, pop-culture wish fulfillment, and a moral dilemma about personal success
Movie Details
- Director
- Danny Boyle
- Release Date
- 2019-06-26
- Runtime
- 116 min
- Rating
- 6.7 / 10 (4375)
Cast
- Himesh Patel
- Lily James
- Sophia Di Martino
- Ellise Chappell
- Meera Syal
- Harry Michell
- Vincent Franklin
- Joel Fry
- Michael Kiwanuka
- Karma Sood
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Yesterday about?
- After a mysterious blackout erases the Beatles from collective memory, a struggling musician becomes famous by performing their songs and must choose between stolen success and honest love.
- What is Yesterday like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Yesterday as brisk, its intensity as mild and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Yesterday violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Yesterday as mild.
- What did critics think of Yesterday?
- Critics generally found the Beatles-driven premise and performances charming but felt the film settles into a conventional and underdeveloped romantic comedy.
- Which films are like Yesterday?
- Films with a similar feel include About Time, Love Actually, Begin Again, and The Family Man.
- How long is Yesterday?
- Yesterday runs 116 minutes.
- Where can I watch Yesterday?
- In United States, Yesterday is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home.
