You've heard me talk about it.
You've seen me tweet about it.
Now what is this whole THE LAST FIVE YEARS thing about?
Well, I'm going to tell you why I love this little musical so much.
Similar to LES MISERABLES, the story is told primarily through song, with bits of dialogue here and there. In the movie adaptation, there is a lot more dialogue than the stage version. I believe that those little bits of extra dialogue actually help the story make more sense.
Anyway, the music. The music is yet another great Jason Robert Brown creation. There's heartache, comedy, a proposal, a breakup, and more all in one 14-song score. From Cathy's heart-wrenching "Still Hurting" to Jamie's hilarious "The Schmuel Song", there are feels, feel, nothing but feels. Miles and piles of feels (10 points if you get that reference I just made). I can listen to this soundtrack ten times over and still have the same emotions. It does not get old.
The Story
Ok, here's the thing. What I have heard from some people is that the story is pretty confusing, especially in the movie. I get that. What's happening is Cathy and Jamie are telling the story of their five-year relationship from two different perspectives. Cathy is telling the story from the end to the beginning, and Jamie is telling it from the beginning to end. So while Cathy is at her breaking point, Jamie is at his happiest, and vice versa. They meet in the middle during "The Next Ten Minutes," when Jamie proposes to Cathy. One thing that the movie does differently is that Jamie and Cathy are in the scenes together, while on stage (at least in the 2013 off-Broadway version) Jamie and Cathy are not in the scenes together until "The Next Ten Minutes." Here's the trick to know what storyline you're watching: who is singing. If Jamie is singing, it's his perspective. If it's Cathy, then it's hers.
The Actors
I absolutely LOVE the fact that Anna Kendrick and Jeremy Jordan were chosen for the movie adaptation. Kendrick has been on fire in the movie musicals she's been doing (hello, INTO THE WOODS!). And you all know that I think that Jeremy Jordan can do no wrong, besides leaving NEWSIES right after the TONY'S, but we won't talk about that. At least it was because he was on "Smash". But anyway. The musical started out in 2002 with Cathy and Jamie being played by Sherie Rene Scott (who makes a special appearance in the movie) and Norbert Leo Butz, two well-acclaimed powerful voices and great actors. Then in the 2013 off-Broadway version, the roles were played by Betsy Wolfe (who also makes a special appearance in the movie) and Adam Kantor, another great duo. Each pair has brought something great to this story and capture the emotional roller coaster that is THE LAST FIVE YEARS.
Is this movie for everybody? Maybe not. There is a little profanity, some cheating,pre-marital sex, and of course, the slightly confusing storyline. BUT, taking away those flaws, you are watching a beautiful love story of two individuals falling in and out of love, struggling with their careers, flourishing in their careers, and just trying to make it in this crazy world we live in. It's one of those stories that feels real, like it could really happen. It's not your typical romantic story. But it's a relatable one, and that's what I like about it most.
Have I convinced you to give this movie a chance? Well, if the answer is yes, you can check out both the soundtrack and movie on iTunes NOW! You can either rent or purchase the movie in HD or SD. The OBC and 2013 recordings are both available on Spotify in addition to iTunes.
Goodbye until tomorrow. Goodbye 'til I recall how to breathe. For I have been waiting, I have been waiting for you.
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