“Tick, Tick…Boom,” starring Andrew Garfield

directed by Lin-Manuel Miranda

If this were a couple of centuries ago, Jonathan Larson would have been a whirling dervish. A young composer who wanted to make his mark before he turned 30, he worked day and night trying to complete a workshop version of his first musical about aliens—all while working days, nights, and weekends as a waiter at NYC’s Moondance Cafe.

JL’s quest for fame was turned into a play called “Tick Tick…Boom!” and eventually became the  film currently showing on Netflix and in theaters.

Fortunately for us, neither the film’s director,  Lin-Manuel Miranda nor the film’s star, Andrew Garfield is a slacker in the passion department. “Tick Tick Boom” is exuberant and deserving of your attention.

Garfield takes the role by the teeth and never lets go—ignoring both his lovely GF Susan (Alexandra Shipp) and the advice of his gay BFF (Robin de Jesus from Bway’s “Boys in the Band”) who suggests JL abandon his dream and take a job in advertising.

We are especially lucky that JL ignored the latter piece of advice. Five years later, he wrote “Rent” in 1996, whose opening on Broadway sadly eluded him. He died of a brain aneurysm on opening night.

This unusual movie musical allows us to hear JL’s early work, much of which prefigures “Rent.”  Two numbers do this especially well, in terms of music and production value: “Sunday” (a nod to Sondheim’s “Park with George” version except JL’s is about brunch) and “Come to your Senses” (sung by the gorgeous Vanessa Hudgens).

In short, “TTB” is a lovely film about a composer who left us too soon. As a bonus, it features a juicy performance by Judith Light, as well as cameo appearances by Danny Burstein, Judy Kuhn and Joel Grey. I think JL would be delighted to find himself in such esteemed company. You will be too .