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!!The show:
* FridgeHorror: The show's title could be used as a metaphor for the aortic aneurysm that killed Jonathan Larson at age 35. Reportedly, David Auburn had to excise a lot of descriptions of "the feeling of being under so much pressure that his heart was about to burst in his chest."
* HarsherInHindsight: Jonathan Larson really ''did'' spend the rest of his life [[Theatre/{{Rent}} writing songs people would listen to and remember]]. He just would never get to see it, having died right before opening night.
* HeartwarmingInHindsight:
** Jon is upset that despite his best efforts, ''Superbia'' doesn't get any investors because Broadway isn't ready for science-fiction musicals with social commentary. In the 2000s and 2010s, musicals like ''Theatre/BeMoreChill'' would hit the stage with science fiction and social commentary, proving that creators could break the glass ceiling. ''Be More Chill'' also speaks of the dangers of social media culture and trying to make or break your reputation. Jon would be proud.
** Michael tells Jon [[spoiler:he has HIV, but don't pity him or cry for him because the odds have never been better for him to live. Despite that brave front, they both break down]]. Viewers may feel reassured knowing that in real life, [[spoiler:Michael's inspiration Matt is still alive, having beaten those odds]].
* HoYay: Naturally between Jonathan and Michael, what with them being life-long best friends and Michael being an out gay man (as Jonathan is seemingly the only straight man in his circle, something that was TruthInTelevision for him), and both being involved in musical theatre. Even still, while there's a lot of discussion about him needing to include a "turning point" song between the female lead and protagonist in ''Superbia'', in ''Tick Tick Boom'' this song is "Why", a song about Jon and Michael's friendship.
* RetroactiveRecognition: Watching Creator/RaulEsparza in one of his first major theatre roles is surprising to people who aren't aware of his musical background.
* TearJerker:
** "Why". If you aren't crying from the beginning, when [[spoiler:Jonathan finds out Michael has HIV]], you'll be crying by the end of the song.
** Jon witnessing his "Come To Your Senses" number come to life, offering reassurances to every anxiety he had about his life and relationship.
** Jonathan finally playing "Happy Birthday" at the end.
** Most of the show, when viewed through the lens of Jonathan Larson's tragic death. This quote in particular, in the musical number "Johnny Can't Decide":
--->"I want to write music. I want to sit down right now, at my piano, and write a song that people will listen to and remember and do the same thing every morning for the rest of my life."
*** Along the same lines, the ending of "Why" can be a '''major''' {{Tearjerker}}. Basically, if you have knowledge of Jonathan Larson's passing, do not even try to listen to the [=OBCR=] or watch the show without tissues nearby. You '''will''' end up crying at least once.
* UnintentionallyUnsympathetic: Susan is meant to be presented as the long-suffering girlfriend to a starving artist, and the conflict between her and Jonathan is intended as BothSidesHaveAPoint. Except Susan is demanding that Jonathan make a life altering decision in the middle of an extremely stressful week, in which he's preparing for a presentation that could make or break him. He's also under stress to find a new roommate and keep up with his bills, while also pursuing a thankless career. While Jonathan does keep putting off speaking to her, she gets extremely rude in their argument by mocking him for not having a better job and treating him as though he's a slacker - when he's working extremely hard at both his day job and investing into his career, while also attempting to pick up another job in advertising (although Susan probably didn't know this). She also implies that she never thought Jonathan would actually go with her, and was trying to see if he'd ask her to stay, making it seem like she's more fond of playing mind games rather than being direct. Jonathan is seen being supportive of her dancing in the past, making her come across as horribly ignorant; especially as the stress of being a performer is nothing compared to the stress that comes with trying to write and sell a show itself.

!!The film:
* AwardSnub: The film was not nominated for Best Picture at the 94th UsefulNotes/AcademyAward ceremony, despite receiving Best Picture nominations from many other film awards organizations. There were also complaints about Robin de Jésus not being nominated for Best Supporting Actor and Steven Levenson's script not being nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay.
* BigLippedAlligatorMoment: [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lb8E-cZGwvU "Green Dress"]] was this, which was why it was cut from the final project. Jon goes abruptly from talking about the Berkshires with Susan to them dancing and talking about her outfit. Then they go back to talking about her new job offer like the song didn't happen. Beautifully sung and choreographed, but even Michael gets annoyed with them.
* EnsembleDarkhorse: Creator/StephenSondheim. First there's just the matter of the famously awesome composer acting like a wise, CoolOldGuy. Then there's Creator/BradleyWhitford's performance, which received a lot of praise for perfectly capturing the man's tics and spirit with little screentime, to the point where some people have said Whitford's performance deserves its own movie. [[spoiler: And then there's the heartwarming voicemail he leaves Jonathan near the end. Already deemed a highlight, but made particularly special due to it being voiced by the real living legend himself!]] Especially poignant once Stephen Sondheim passed away fifteen days after the movie's release.
* HarsherInHindsight: Stephen Sondheim plays a critical role (as he did in real life) in encouraging Jonathan to continue writing, ultimately helping him cement his legacy. The real Sondheim even recorded a message for the film. Stephen Sondheim died on November 26, 2021, one week after the movie was released on Netflix.
* SugarWiki/HeReallyCanAct:
** A variation, as Creator/AndrewGarfield had proven long ago he's a great actor. What came as a surprise to many though is that he's an excellent ''singer''. Especially impressive is how he never sung professionally before, yet he managed to completely hold his own and match his experienced vocalist costars.
** Although Alexandra Shipp had appeared in critically acclaimed films such as ''Film/StraightOuttaCompton'' and ''Literature/AllTheBrightPlaces'', she was still being dogged by the poor reception of Lifetime's infamously bad {{Music/Aaliyah}} biopic. Her talents as a singer weren't known beforehand either, and her performance of "Come To Your Senses" has been very well received. As noted below, many found her performance heavily improved Susan from the stage show.
* HeartwarmingInHindsight: In "Why", Jonathan sings about how he and Michael got parts in ''Theatre/WestSideStory'', and there is adorable camcorder footage of them on stage. The [[Film/WestSideStory2021 2021 remake of]] ''West Side Story'' was released only a few weeks afterwards to critical acclaim.
* HilariousInHindsight: "Why" mentions that Michael was cast as Doc in a production of ''Theatre/WestSideStory'', and that was "fine with him", since it's a non-singing role. The 2021 remake would replace Doc with his widow Valentina (played by the legendary Creator/RitaMoreno) and give her the song "Somewhere".
* RescuedFromTheScrappyHeap:
** Susan's portrayal lacks some of the aspects that made her unsympathetic to some in the stage version. Instead of forcing Jon to choose between moving away with her and his career during the middle of a very stressful week seemingly arbitrarily, in the movie she has an approaching deadline of her own for a job in another state that she needs to give an answer for shortly or else she could lose it. On top of that, Jonathan deliberately avoids even talking to her about it to the point of pretending he isn't home when she's calling him from a payphone that can see up to his apartment. And when he finally tells her that he wants her to stay with him in New York (which was what she really wanted him to do all along), she realizes that even as they are hugging over this, he is thinking about how he can turn their preceding argument into a song, which causes her to break up with him. The movie also removes her jealousy over his friendship with Karessa.
** In the original, ''original'' stage script, the one made by Jonathan Larson, the portrayal of his agent Rosa was pretty negative. This was a reflection of Larson's actual relationship with his agent, which was translated into the adaptation by David Auburn. Although one can see in the film why Jonathan has a negative impression of her, Judith's Light's portrayal is more of a SternTeacher, offering some modicum of reassurance when she recognizes how disappointed Jonathan is over the lack of offers.
* TearJerker:
** The archival footage showing Anthony Rapp saying, "We dedicate this night and every performance to our dear friend Jonathan Larson". Followed by the close-up on Jon's family as they tearfully applaud.
** The look of pure devastation on Jonathan's face as Rosa gives him the HardTruthAesop: no matter how much effort he puts into his work, he must be prepared for rejection, and he can only keep writing and hope something sticks.
** The simple line: "I'm HIV-Positive", that shatters Jon and gives him a HeelRealization on how poorly he had been treating Susan and Michael. Not helped by afterwards, Jon composes a song alone and tearfully laments the idea of losing Michael. It's only afterwards where Jon rushes to Michael's apartment and tells him about an HIV-Support group and the two then embrace and sob, apologizing to each other.
** The simple fact that the ending makes it clear and the irony that Jonathan Larson tragically died at 35, before he could ever see the success of [[Theatre/{{RENT}} his best work yet]].
* UnintentionallyUnsympathetic: While the movie goes out of its way to remove some of Susan's more negative traits from the show, her tearing into him during "Therapy" about being a waiter and broke and saying she wanted him to say he didn't want her to go still comes off poorly, especially because the last part especially still gives off the impression of mind games rather than an actual relationship. (Especially given the timing. Her job had the deadline but that's even ''less'' of a valid reason.)
* WinBackTheCrowd: After the lukewarm reception to ''Film/InTheHeights'', Lin Manuel Miranda especially had to take a lot of flack for the casting (although he only produced the movie). His directorial debut for film here saw him earning plenty of praise. Although ironically ''In the Heights'' has a higher score on Rotten Tomatoes (94% to this one's 88%).
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