I have waited tables at many a Sunday brunch. Trust me, this is a documentary.
Lin-Manuel Miranda proves himself to be a thoughtful, astute director with a keen sense of story editing and place. The movie has a pulse. A rhythm. Clearly, he was the right person to helm this (sorta kinda) true story considering his own Broadway pedigree.
Teeming with life, it bursts forth with energy and grace, never forgetting about the characters even while Miranda peppers the film with jaw-dropping cameos from Broadway stars and creative luminaries. Andrew Garfield gives one helluva performance and what's most surprising of all is that in the wrong hands, this guy could come off as a selfish creep, yet he makes you understand why he does the things he does. Modern-day movie musicals, even ones taking place in 1990, are a tricky proposition, but this one nails it.
Oh, and Bradley Whitford should've been nominated for an Oscar. His twitchy, blinky Sondheim was uncanny.
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