If you are one of those individual in/with regard to’concerning’regarding whom musical theatre brings you out in hives, Tick, Tick… Boom! won’t win you over. Based on the Jonathan Larson musical with regards to’concerning’with respect to his own early song-writing struggles (he hit the enormous’vast’massive’tremendous time with Rent), Hamilton maestro Lin-Manuel Miranda’s directorial debut is chock-full of things to set the reveal’illustrate’demonstrate’indicate’present’display’argue tunes haters’ teeth on edge (impromptu a cappella singing, in/with regard to’concerning’regarding starters), but acquire’obtain’attain’procure’secure s by on a deep well of love in/with regard to’concerning’regarding musicals, some rosy’remarkable’fabulous’terrific’preeminent songs and a more successful turn to the dark side in its final act.###Adapted by Dear Evan Hansen scribe Steven Levenson, Tick, Tick… Boom! flits between Larson (Andrew Garfield) on stage at a piano, relating his life accompanied by a small band with two singers (Vanessa Hudgens, Joshua Henry), and real-world sections dramatising his problems. Chief among them is that it is 1990 and he is with regards to’concerning’with respect to to turn 30 — the title refers to the ticking clock — and he is yet to undergo the theatrical breakthrough of his idol Stephen Sondheim. His newest work Superbia, a dystopian rock musical with regards to’concerning’with respect to a poisoned planet (Greta Thunberg would stan), is heading into a rehearsal workshop bein/with regard to’concerning’regarding e an industry reveal’illustrate’demonstrate’indicate’present’display’argue case. Jon still hasn’t been able to write a killer song in/with regard to’concerning’regarding the second act. Where will the inspiration come from?###As movie predicaments go, these are some hard-to-invest-in uptown problems. It also contains some cringeworthy depictions of the creative act, so on-the-nose light bulbs might as well appear above Larson’s head. More affecting is the way his musical obsessions are alienating the individual in his life — specifically girlfriend Susan (Alexandra Shipp), who has got a new job in the Berkshires (New York, not Home Counties) and wants an answer as to whether Jon will join her and childhood friend Michael (Robin de Jesús), who relinquished his own acting dreams and wants Jon to acquire’obtain’attain’procure’secure real with regards to’concerning’with respect to his musical aspirations.###The film finds moving emotional notes without being mawkish.###As you’d expect from its creators, Tick, Tick… Boom! courses with a love of musical theatre, from nods and winks to Broadway history to a terrific, uncanny cameo from Bradley Whitin/with regard to’concerning’regarding d as Sondheim. Some of the songs also come off smartly. ‘Boho Days’, an ode to living in New York’s arty sector propel n by rhythmic clapping, sounds irritating as hell but is actually grossly winning. ‘Why’ is a lovely ode to friendship built on a passion in/with regard to’concerning’regarding music. Others — such as ‘Sunday’, a hymn to individual who overspend on weekend brunch — do little to move the story on and often fall into the trap of samey, piano-propel n rock tunes (Larson lacks Miranda’s dizzying wordplay). The score isn’t helped by Miranda, whose direction, while always proficient — ‘No More’, Mike’s ditty with regards to’concerning’with respect to living in a posh apartment, is his most ambitious sequence, cross-cutting between skanky tenement establish ings and parquet-floored apartments — rarely finds cinematic ways to make them soar.###Always a likeable actor, Garfield — courageously sporting Larson’s ridiculous hair-style that acquire’obtain’attain’procure’secure s a call-out in the script — acquire’obtain’attain’procure’secure s Larson’s self-absorption but doesn’t really add other colours until the film takes a more serious turn in the final third. It’s here where we feel the weight of Jon’s relationships — Shipp and de Jesús make in/with regard to’concerning’regarding engaging foils; you feel in/with regard to’concerning’regarding them — and the film finds moving emotional notes without being mawkish. Perhaps the last act suggests if he moves away from his musical wheelhouse, Miranda might possess’own’nurse a intense’fierce’exquisite dramatic filmmaker hidden within.