Genre: Romance/Drama/Musical
Director: Rob Marshall
Writer: Jacob Jones
Cast: Ben Platt, Emma Watson, John Legend, Vanessa Hudgens, Blake Jenner, Pierce Brosnan
Plot: Out the streets of San Diego lies a rustic and famed club mysteriously named ‘Forgotten Memories’. It is there some say people come over to reclaim memories of a past they lost. Inside the club, a talented man only referred to as Jack (John Legend) can be heard playing a spirited rendition of the famed song Time Passages by Al Stewart.
When he finishes, a rather impressive audience applauds as champagne and gourmet cuisine is served. As the appreciation dies down, Jack tells them that he will soon be heading out. But before he goes, he has a story to tell the audience regarding the song he played. You see, this song has a special place inside his heart as it reminds him of a time a man and a woman once dated. Several years back actually.
J: “Five years ago, there was a senior class of Stonewall High. A class i’d dare say was the most fun i’ve had in my life. But it also taught me a valuable lesson regarding life.”
Jack introduces the audience to the ‘characters’ of this story. A kid ‘down on his luck’ named Marvin (Ben Platt) who had aspirations of being a singer. He also had two friends, a spunky energetic woman known as Daisy (Vanessa Hudgens), and a man of 'high stock' called Trevor (Blake Jenner).
J: “Now, with your cooperation...let us begin this instrumental play from the very first note.”
As Jack plays away on his piano, we are taken back to five years ago: The first day of the school year. Marvin is shown by his locker alongside Daisy, talking about the new student joining their class. They both wonder what they’ll be like before Trevor comes around saying he’s already seen the new student and keeps a neutral face. Daisy and Marvin glance at each other, having seen this from him before.
Inside Mr. Brewer’s (Pierce Brosnan) science class, they find said new student standing next to them, looking extremely nervous. She is introduced as Alyssa (Emma Watson) and he expects the students to treat her with respect. A rule immediately broken by Trevor as he asks if his wife is as hot as the new girl. As Trevor is sent off to detention, Marvin apologizes on his behalf saying he can be a handful. He and Daisy introduce themselves to Alyssa...she doesn’t speak.
Alyssa says nothing for the period and throughout lunch, but when the next period arrives she asks Marvin if he’s in choir class with her. He nods, exciting her. It is then shown that she is more outgoing and excitable in this class than in the other classes. The four all begin to become good friends with each other, with Alyssa warming up to Trevor’s antics.
One day at the end of the class, Mr. Medley (who we never get to see close up) reveals that the school will be hosting a cabaret featuring songs from every decade. Marvin and Daisy both express interest in signing up, while Trevor declares himself a signup. As everyone starts to leave, Marvin sees Alyssa looking at the signup sheet and asks if she wants to sign up. Alyssa admits she isn’t sure, but is convinced to do so when Marvin compliments her singing.
J: “It was at that moment I realized, something beautiful had begun”
A few weeks later, the night of the cabaret comes. The students await to see Marvin exit the stage. He arrives, an excellent performance in his opinion. He then looks at a petrified Alyssa, who admits she has never sung in front of a crowd before, preferring to sing to herself. Marvin gives her enough courage to go out and do her best, saying the best way to confront fear is to face it.
She heads out to see the crowd, staring silently at first before breathing in and out and singing what is later learned to be her father’s favorite song. Marvin and Trevor both try to get a closer look at Alyssa’s performance without getting caught and are both amazed when they find Alyssa doing wonderfully. When the performance ends, a standing ovation occurs. Trevor is stunned at first, but lays on some of his ‘trademark’ charm towards her as he goes on stage to perform his song.
Meanwhile, in the backstage area, Alyssa is praised by the others for her performance. Especially by Marvin. The party is soon interrupted by Trevor who claims to have ‘rocked the joint’, receiving applause from everyone. Trevor then looks at Alyssa and orders Marvin to step aside so he can talk to her. Marvin obliges and goes to talk with Daisy, who senses Trevor may once again be ‘out of his league’ regarding his dating choices, mentioning the Sabrina Morgan incident where Trevor vomited all over her new designer outfit. Marvin pays no attention as his focus has been shifted towards Alyssa.
J: “Poor Marvin, a love sick puppy towards Alyssa. I couldn’t blame him. I was in his shoes once. But he would learn that he would have to earn her affection the hard way.”
A few days after, Mr. Brewer finds Alyssa and Trevor tardy. The door opens and they are found, smiling, laughing and holding the hands of each other. Trevor proudly announces that the two of them are dating, something everyone congratulates them on, including Marvin despite his initial reluctance. Mr. Brewer then brings back everyone’s test scores from yesterday. To the shock of everyone, Trevor scores an A+. Trevor owes it all to his new girlfriend, who studied with him yesterday.
Marvin tries to make it through the day without getting jealous over Trevor’s newfound relationship, but Trevor’s public nature with the relationship makes it very difficult for him. One day, Mr. Brewer notices this and asks him to stay in his class so he can give him some advice regarding love.
J: “It was cliched, tired and packed full of trite. But hey, you need at least one useless adult in your lives.”
While that occurs inside the classroom, Alyssa and Trevor are shown experiencing some alone time together. A make-out session. However, something is not right with Alyssa and when asked about it, Alyssa asks if Trevor has to be so...public with the relationship. Considering everyone in school knows about it at this rate. Trevor says it’s how he rolls. Especially given his reputation as a laughingstock.
Alyssa feels pity for him, but Trevor asks for her not to. Besides, it could be worse. He could be Marvin. A faceless man in a world full of personality. Marvin hears that much of their conversation but doesn’t hear the rest. Too shocked to do so. Trevor then puts over Marvin as a good friend, even though he does like him. And that maybe one day, she’ll realize it as well. Marvin laments his frustrations with Daisy who urges him not to give up hope as one day a chance may come his way. That chance comes when Alyssa invites him over to Trevor’s house for a round of video games with him. Marvin agrees to the offer and as the three spend the day together, Marvin finds that he and Alyssa have a bit of a connection. As the weeks went on, the two would begin to hang out more, eventually getting to the point where Trevor grew suspicious. Regardless, he didn’t question it.
J: “And then things got serious. It was three days before the Winter Dance, Trevor and Alyssa were expected to be the belles of the ball and the talk around town was that the most popular couple around wasn’t going to miss this opportunity… Except, they did. Just three whole days before the big night.”
Marvin lies on his bed when his phone rings, revealing a horrible sounding Trevor. He reveals that he’s sick and that he had to cancel his date with Alyssa. Feeling bad, he texts an apology to Trevor. Then he thinks about what Daisy and Mr. Brewer told him and feeling worried about Alyssa, he decides to pay her a visit.
Later that evening, a nervous Marvin arrives at Alyssa’s house and knocks on her door. When Alyssa lets him in, he finds that Alyssa isn’t so much disappointed over Trevor being sick, more so as she’s disappointed in not having a date (she was planning to go regardless). Marvin pauses, standing completely still. Realizing this is his chance, he asks if he could be her date instead.
Alyssa is taken back by it at first, and a terrified Marvin thinks he’s screwed up and apologizes profusely. Alyssa then smiles, telling him to calm down and that he can be her date. Marvin breathes a sigh of relief and begins to head out, but before he does Alyssa calls for him. She smiles, calling him a good person having gotten to know him through his many hangouts with her and Trevor.
Marvin just stands in the doorway, stunned. Fast forward three days later to a petrified Marvin standing the doorway again, flowers in one hand as he rings the doorbell, waiting to see Alyssa. When the door opens, Alyssa comes out wearing a long pink dress. The two stare at each other awkwardly before Marvin compliments her look. The two then head off to the dance.
As it turns out, Marvin is a fantastic date and treats Alyssa with respect and dignity. Something that doesn’t go unnoticed by Daisy (who along with Mr. Medley serve as DJs for the event). Daisy eventually ends up dedicating a special song for them as Alyssa buries her head on Marvin’s shoulder, enjoying the slow dance and time with him.
J: “From that day on, nothing was the same for Marvin and Alyssa. Even after Trevor came back, Alyssa began to hang out with Marvin more and more. And the more they did, the more Trevor became suspicious.”
Throughout the week, Trevor begins to hear rumors of Tralyssa (Trevor and Alyssa’s couple name) being on the way out and Marlyssa replacing it. Despite questioning Marvin about it, he gets nowhere in trying to figure things out. During this time, he grows more paranoid and clingy towards Alyssa, wanting to spend as much time with her as possible.
Eventually, the rumor mill grows too rampant and he snaps, frantically running to Alyssa and begging her pathetically not to dump him for Marvin. Alyssa is quick to reassure him that it won’t happen, relieving Trevor as he shouts to heavens that no one messes with 'his' Alyssa. When a concerned Marvin goes to talk to him, Trevor shoves him aside and storms off. As the school day continues, Marvin finds Trevor acting increasingly cold towards Marvin much to his confusion. The end of the day comes and as Marvin heads over to the bus, he sees Alyssa who asks him if he wants to come over to her house tomorrow afternoon. Marvin accepts the offer and the two make plans to meet at 4 PM tomorrow.
That night, Marvin can barely sleep over knowing that Trevor might be planning to kill him for trying to 'steal his girlfriend'. But over at Trevor's house, it's shown that he has trouble sleeping himself, having a nightmare over Alyssa breaking up with him to get with Marvin. He wakes up in fright then frantically gets over to his phone. He looks at a picture of him and Alyssa together and slumps down, sobbing to himself softly.
The next day, Marvin arrives on the doorsteps of Alyssa’s house, again feeling nervous. Alyssa then opens the door and welcomes him inside her house. A quick tour of the house is arranged, ending when Alyssa shows Marvin her room. Marvin is intrigued by the look of things until he comes across a recording set. When he asks, Alyssa reveals that she has a YouTube channel dedicated to covering her favorite songs.
In awe at first, Alyssa asks if Marvin wants to join her in a duet. Marvin agrees to the idea and the two sit together, trying to figure out what to do for a duet. As they do so, neither of them notice that watching through the window is a seemingly sleep depraved and crazed Trevor, desperate to figure out what’s going on with Marvin and Alyssa.
Several hours after the fact, Marvin and Alyssa enter the living room, laughing over what apparently was an excellent time together. Alyssa appears amazed at how amazing their voices sounded together, pointing to how natural their chemistry sounded. Almost like they were telling each other something.
Marvin looks around, nervously wondering if he should go for it or not. Before he can say anything else though, Alyssa speaks up, confessing to never feeling like she fit in until she met Marvin. All her life, people put expectations for her. To be something more than what she is. It’s lead to her shutting herself out and declining big opportunities, because of the fear that someone would be disappointed if she failed.
Stunned at first, Marvin manages to find the words. Telling her that she would never disappoint him. When he saw her at the cabaret, he saw someone who was energetic, passionate and wonderful. Someone who wasn’t afraid of opening up and showing the world what she was capable of.
M: “I...I guess that’s a big reason why...I've had a crush on you.”
Alyssa freezes, shocked that Marvin would say that. Seeing the look on her face, a dejected Marvin begins to realize he’s made a bad choice and goes to leave until Alyssa stops him. She asks Marvin how deep his love goes, and Marvin explains with a powerful rendition of Bryan Adams’s "Everything I Do". When he finishes, he glances at Alyssa who holds back tears. Alyssa hugs Marvin, softly crying and thanking him for everything. He nods, accepting the embrace.
SLAM! All of a sudden the door goes wide open. An enraged Trevor pushes Alyssa aside and begins to lay in on Marvin, screaming about how he could do this to their friendship after everything . Alyssa manages to restrain Trevor long enough for Marvin bolt out of here. He exchanges one last look towards a concerned Alyssa and a spiteful Trevor and runs back home.
Early next morning, Marvin gets a phone call from Daisy who warns him that Trevor wants to kill him. Realizing this, he tells Daisy everything. She congratulates Marvin, but promises to be first in line for his funeral and tells him to be at the front of the school by 8 AM.
J: “So he did. He got up outta bed, did his normal routine and made his way to Stonewall High...and there he saw. A concerned Alyssa, a crowd of ongoing looking on, and the foulest expression he had ever since from Trevor.”
Marvin gets up close to Trevor, trying to explain things. But Trevor is unresponsive, calling him a ‘girlfriend stealer’ and a ‘traitor’. Marvin threw away years of a friendship that they built together. All the times they got in trouble, the days Trevor came to Marvin and vice versa, and he threw them all away. All because he wanted the bitch in sheep’s clothing.
Angered, Marvin slaps Trevor and seems ready to pounce away on him. Only problem seems to be that Mr. Brewer is on the way to his class. As Marvin and Trevor fight, Daisy rushes over to Mr. Brewer and tries to distract him best she can. Eventually, Mr. Brewer catches the two fighting and rushes over to try and break things up. Trevor sneaks out of Mr. Brewer’s grasp however and kicks Marvin in the groin hard. Trevor goes over to Alyssa, seemingly to celebrate… And is instantly slapped by her.
She calls him out for how much of a hypocrite and a jerk he’s been to Marvin and how much he degrades and humiliates her every time they’re out in public. She admits to falling out of love with Trevor a long time ago and dumps him in front of everyone. By this point, police officials have arrived to take Trevor away. As they do, Alyssa helps Marvin up and the two finally have their first kiss in front of a cheering class.
J: “Now you would think this would be the end of it. He got the girl, the bully got expelled and everyone’s happy. Right? Oh ho ho, you would be sorely mistaken.”
Several months pass on by and life initially goes on the upswing for Marvin and the others. No longer bound by Trevor, Alyssa and Marvin (or Marlyssa) becomes the it couple of the school and both their profiles skyrocket. It was however at that moment Daisy began to change as a person. Once in full support of their relationship, Daisy began to see Marvin less. And every time Daisy would try to hang out with Marvin or Alyssa, they would tell her that they had plans with the other. More and more, Daisy began to distance herself from the two, beginning to hate what she alleged she created.
Behind the scenes however, someone was preparing to do massive damage to the credibility of Alyssa, spreading awful rumors about them, calling them ‘sex-crazed’, a ‘slutty singer’, and most damning of all ‘a soul sucking seducer’. This is enough to drive a wedge towards Alyssa’s popularity and she begins to lose friends around her. Marvin, unsure how to handle this begins to distance himself from Alyssa. Seeing this, Daisy senses an opportunity to regain Marvin’s friendship and the two talk about the recent on goings with Alyssa.
Marvin vents to her about how insane the rumors have been flying and laments on how far they’ll go. Daisy doesn’t deny that the rumors are BS, but suggests that Marvin needs a break from the insanity, a way to ease himself if you will. She offers to ‘date’ him until the backlash dies down. Marvin refuses at first, but Daisy manages to lure him in by promising him that she'll find out who has been messing with Alyssa's reputation.
J: “So down the rabbit hole they went. And before you know it, the tables were turned. Now Marvin was seeing more of Daisy...and less of Alyssa. And this did not go unnoticed.”
Now it is Alyssa's turn to be paranoid about Marvin, employing some of the same traits Trevor once held. But unlike Trevor, she remains calm. And when the rumor mill hits it's stride, A tear stricken Alyssa comes up to Marvin and tells him that she doesn't know what's going on with him, but if it's because of what's going on with her. She'd understand. Feeling guilty, Marvin comes up to Daisy one night and breaks off the relationship and tells her that they're coming out with the truth to her tomorrow morning. Daisy refuses at first, wanting to keep it going, but Marvin refuses to budge. Daisy snaps, accidentally revealing her true intentions as she goes on an emotional tirade on how Alyssa took away her best friend. A hurt Marvin storms off, promising to expose Daisy to the entire school.
The next morning however, he is greeted with a text from a mysterious person named "Ticket" who tells him to meet him by the men's bathroom. Marvin does as told and finds to his shock, Trevor. It's there Trevor reveals that he was behind the rumors, stating that Marvin took away the one thing that kept him from being a total fool. For so long, he had been made out to be the joke by everyone. But Alyssa changed all of that. And now thanks to Marvin, his life is ruined. And he's decided that if he's gonna go down in flames, Alyssa's going down with him.
Trevor then reveals from his pocket, a gun, a match and a lighter, declaring that when Alyssa's home, he'll shoot her, take her outside and burn her entire body. Marvin refuses to let that happen and tries to force Trevor to give the gun to him. Mr. Brewer and Mr. Medley hear this and rush over to the men's bathroom to break them up. A crowd watches the event unfold, Alyssa and Daisy watching on in concern. All the chaos is enough for Marvin to snap and he admits that he's cheated on Alyssa with Daisy to get away from the problems they were facing.
Everyone is shocked, even Trevor. Realizing that she's been exposed, Daisy chews out Alyssa for destroying the friendship she once had with Marvin. All this time they spent together, some of it should've been spent with her. Alyssa apologizes, saying they were planning to hang out with her at some point but could never fit her in. Daisy's reason for that? Because Alyssa's nothing more than a sell out.
By this point, all hell has broken loose. Marvin and Trevor are fighting over the gun, Daisy's received the ire of several fans of Alyssa and Mr. Brewer is being mobbed by several fighting kids. Eventually Mr. Medley has enough and takes the gun away from Trevor and shoots a bullet on the roof, forcing everyone to simmer down.
He then gathers the four former friends together and says he's seen how bad things have become, but he kept quiet, hoping the problems would be solved by himself. But now he has no choice but to intervene. The four have been seeing only the good and bad of life for so long, that it's allowed them to consume their way of life and react poorly to adversity. It's clear to him that there's no way this line of thinking is good for any of them and he hopes one day they can find a healthy balance.
Marvin, realizing what has happened decides to break off relations with Daisy and Alyssa, though he promises Alyssa that when their minds are right that they'll meet again. Before they part though, Alyssa asks if they can do their duet one final time. Marvin glances at Mr. Medley who gives him the go ahead to do so. After they finish their duet, Marvin walks out the door and effectively, out of Alyssa's life...
J: "And well...that's pretty much the story. Alyssa moved back to England after that school year, last I heard she was doing well for herself in the charts. Marvin's also been carving out a career for himself...it hasn't gone as well as he intended. Daisy? She dropped out of Stonewall entirely and went to a private school. From what I heard, she's matured gracefully, regrets the stuff she's done. And Trevor...well...unable to handle the pain and self-destruction of his life...he killed himself. Shot himself in the head."
He then asks an important question. How does he know all of this? He's just a random guy who's made a living out of playing the piano. What's his part in all this? As it turns out, Jack used to teach at Stonewall High as Mr. Medley. And it was that year that changed his viewpoint on life forever. He leaves us with this message.
J: "Life is full of memories. Some good, some bad. And if you believe otherwise, you'll either fall hard when adversity comes your way, or you'll become numb to the positives of life. In the end, everything we go through falls into the time passages in the fading light. It's up to us to decide how we handle them."
As Jack plays one final song to send the public happy, a figure looks on, seemingly inspired. He decides to head out, thinking about everything he's been through. He gets out his phone, and glances at a number he's kept after all this time. He calls, hoping for a response. He does, and he says to them.
M: "Hello Alyssa? It's me...Marvin."
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