The film functions as a "musical within a musical," alternating between Jon’s 1992 stage performance of the rock monologue tick, tick... BOOM! and the literal events of 1990 that inspired it.
: Jon is haunted by a self-imposed deadline—to finish and produce his sci-fi musical, Superbia , before turning 30, fearing that failing to do so means his dreams are over. tick, tick...BOOM! 2021 - 115 min Dramma • ...
The 2021 film is a semi-autobiographical musical drama that explores the high-pressure creative process and existential anxieties of Jonathan Larson , the late creator of the revolutionary Broadway musical Rent . Directed by Lin-Manuel Miranda in his feature directorial debut, the film stars Andrew Garfield as Jon, a struggling composer in 1990 New York City who feels a "ticking" in his head as he approaches his 30th birthday without having achieved success. Core Themes and Narrative The film functions as a "musical within a
: Jon’s idol and mentor whose encouragement serves as a pivotal moment of validation. : Jon is haunted by a self-imposed deadline—to
: His single-minded obsession with his work strains his relationships with his girlfriend, Susan (Alexandra Shipp), who wants a life outside the city, and his best friend, Michael (Robin de Jesús), who left acting for a lucrative advertising career.
: Set at the height of the epidemic, the film highlights how the crisis ravaged the artistic community, adding a literal sense of mortality to Jon's figurative "ticking clock". This is personalized through his friend Michael’s HIV-positive diagnosis.
: After years of work, the Superbia workshop is a critical success but fails to find a producer. Jon’s agent, Rosa (Judith Light), tells him the hard truth of an artist's life: "You start writing the next one". Key Characters