Tick, Tick, Boom!

“Write what you know” is the cliched advice given to playwright Jonathan Larson during an especially vulnerable moment in Tick, Tick, Boom! When he does just that, he writes what plenty of others have likely felt.

This captivating big-screen adaptation of the semiautobiographical production by Larson — the forerunner to his blockbuster Rent — provides not only a bittersweet tribute to the writer and his abilities as an innovative musical storyteller, but also more broadly examines the fickle nature of artistic inspiration and the creative process.

It also marks the directorial debut of fellow Broadway wunderkind Lin-Manuel Miranda (Hamilton), who conveys a connection to the material that keeps the film vibrant even 25 years after Larson’s death from an aneurysm.

The story immerses us in the melting pot of the New York starving-artist scene in the early 1990s, amid a community on edge during the height of the AIDS epidemic.

Jonathan (Andrew Garfield) is about to turn 30 without having a breakthrough, and he’s growing impatient under the weight of self-imposed pressure. Navigating a cycle of blood, sweat, tears, and rejection, his obsession with his work is causing a rift with his girlfriend (Alexandra Shipp), and he even considers following his best friend (Robin de Jesus) into an unfulfilling career in marketing.

Miranda keeps the pace lively, intercutting Jonathan’s personal story with segments rehearsing his intended debut play, with its rock-based production numbers and large backing band.

“This is the first musical for the MTV generation,” he explains to potential financiers and producers, including his idol, Stephen Sondheim (Bradley Whitford), who praise his audacity but wonder about the commercial viability. Even his agent (Judith Light) is skeptical.

Garfield inhabits the role with heartfelt enthusiasm. Even if Jonathan personally comes off as self-absorbed and unsympathetic, you can still appreciate his ambition, frustration, and commitment pushing traditional boundaries with a more working-class approach to a medium usually indulgent in fantasy and lavish excess.

Larson’s life might not be as compelling as his work, but the screenplay by Steven Levenson (Dear Evan Hansen) encapsulates Larson’s affinity for musical theater during a time when the art form was struggling to maintain a critical and commercial foothold.

The songs are pleasant if not especially memorable and it suffers from awkward tonal shifts. However, especially for Larson’s beloved theater crowd, the film compensates with attitude, style, and nostalgic charm.

Rated PG-13, 115 minutes.