Overview
A young composer grapples with the ticking clock of ambition and love in a vibrant city.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- None
- witty
- urgent
- intimate
- musical movie night
- theater lovers night
What critics said
Critics broadly praised Lin-Manuel Miranda's assured directorial debut, the adaptation's musical energy, and Andrew Garfield and Robin de Jesús's performances, while noting limitations in its framing and perspective on the AIDS crisis.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Jon races toward a make-or-break showcase while waiting tables and struggling to complete his musical.
Jon's songs externalize his anxiety, ambition, relationships, and fear of wasted time.
The artistic community surrounding Jon is shaped by the AIDS epidemic and its emotional consequences.
Documentary-style bookends and performance sequences contextualize Jon's story through the language of theater.
Films like tick, tick... BOOM!, and why
La La Land
musical drama about creative ambition, artistic sacrifice, and the pressures of making original theater
A Star Is Born
emotionally direct musical centered on an ambitious artist pursuing a career while relationships and practical realities intervene
The Greatest Showman
warm, energetic musical drama about performers, artistic community, and personal dreams in a major city
Amadeus
intimate biographical drama portraying a gifted creator wrestling with legacy, relationships, and the demands of his work
Movie Details
- Director
- Lin-Manuel Miranda
- Release Date
- 2021-11-11
- Runtime
- 120 min
- Rating
- 7.6 / 10 (2377)
Cast
- Andrew Garfield
- Alexandra Shipp
- Robin de Jesús
- Michaela Jaé Rodriguez
- Ben Levi Ross
- Jonathan Marc Sherman
- Vanessa Hudgens
- Joshua Henry
- Bradley Whitford
- Judith Light
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Netflix, Netflix Standard with Ads
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is tick, tick... BOOM! about?
- A gifted young composer races toward a career-defining showcase while love, friendship, money, and an AIDS-shadowed theater community force him to measure ambition against time.
- What is tick, tick... BOOM! like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of tick, tick... BOOM! as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is tick, tick... BOOM! violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in tick, tick... BOOM!.
- What did critics think of tick, tick... BOOM!?
- Critics broadly praised Lin-Manuel Miranda's assured directorial debut, the adaptation's musical energy, and Andrew Garfield and Robin de Jesús's performances, while noting limitations in its framing and perspective on the AIDS crisis.
- Which films are like tick, tick... BOOM!?
- Films with a similar feel include La La Land, A Star Is Born, The Greatest Showman, and Amadeus.
- How long is tick, tick... BOOM!?
- tick, tick... BOOM! runs 120 minutes.
- Where can I watch tick, tick... BOOM!?
- In United States, tick, tick... BOOM! streams on Netflix, Netflix Standard with Ads.
