Anna Kendrick and Jeremy Jordan star in “The Last Five Years,” a sometimes shaky but honest musical whirlwind that takes the audience through the tears and triumphs of a five year relationship.
Based on Jason Robert Brown’s musical by the same name, “The Last Five Years” is an experiment in musical storytelling. The opening scene presents a tearful Cathy, played by Anna Kendrick, dealing with the news that her husband Jamie is leaving her. The remaining ninety minutes cover the span of their five year relationship, from the blissful moments of the infatuation of young love to the tension that stems from Jamie’s success as a novelist and Cathy’s stalling career as a budding stage actress. Those with a background in Broadway (or who enjoy some eye candy) might recognize Jeremy Jordan, who plays Jamie, from “Newsies” and “Smash” fame. Kendrick and Jordan are a believable and good looking couple, and their voices have the theatrical quality required to pull off a good musical. There is a good chance viewers will leave with a new crush, whether it be Kendrick or Jordan or both.
Every song is a new scene, creating a collage of sometimes jarring but mostly engaging vignettes. Some standouts include “The Next Ten Minutes,” an adorable proposal song, and “Climbing Uphill,” Cathy’s funny internal monologue during a string of failed auditions.The movie ends back where it started, Jamie writing a note goodbye, singing to a vision of a younger, happier, hopeful Cathy. It’s a little (or a lot) depressing that a couple that was at times so beautiful, supportive and promising couldn’t make it work, but I enjoyed the journey nonetheless. Like both of its main characters, the movie is flawed, but for the most part it feels honest and true.
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