The new Netflix musical biopic Tick, Tick… Boom! centers on Jonathan Larson (Andrew Garfield) and the people in his life that helped inspire his work. It is this wonderful cast of characters that helps to bring the vibrant musical story to life.
But with a journey that deals with very grounded and relatable struggles, the characters face some difficult decisions. Some prove to be better equipped to handle these moments than others while certain characters make questionable choices that can be frustrating at times. The intelligent and not-so-intelligent characters in Tick, Tick…Boom! help make it a more compelling story.
Judy
In one of the movie's funniest scenes, Jon takes a job as a member of a focus group led by Judy. Though she is a very enthusiastic professional, Judy's judgment is called into question many times.
As she takes suggestions from the scattered group of participants, Judy shows that she doesn't have many original thoughts of her own. She is impressed by obvious clichés and concepts. And when she presents the product the group will be focusing on, she makes it clear she does not realize how dangerous of a product it is.
Walter Bloom
Another hilarious character with a small amount of screentime is Walter Bloom who runs a workshop that Jon presents his ambitious play at. Walter is shown to be a pompous man who thinks very highly of his own opinion, but as Broadway legend Stephen Sondheim is also part of the workshop, Walter tries desperately to impress him.
He is initially very negative towards Jon's work, but when Sondheim praises it, Walter backtracks and tries to make it seem as though he "got it" as well. Even funnier, Walter doesn't realize his transparent behavior isn't fooling anyone.
Karessa
While Vanessa Hudgens is a notable cast member in the movie, her character of Karessa isn't given much development. She helps tell Jon's story through song with some incredible musical moments in Tick, Tick... Boom!, but she doesn't get many standout moments as her own character.
It is hard to get a sense of her as a smart or not-so-smart character. However, her encouragement of Jon and ability to adapt to his new song show that she is quite intelligent when it comes to delivering as a singer.
Rosa Stevens
Rosa Stevens is Jon's frequently absent agent who is another great comedic character. At first, Rosa seems like the typical agent who ignores her smaller clients and gives Jon phony words of encouragement despite not really even knowing who he is.
However, while she might not be the most dedicated agent for Jon, she does offer some surprisingly good advice in the end. When Jon's new play doesn't sell, she simply tells him it is time to start writing the next one. It might not be what Jon wants to hear but it is the right advice.
Jon
Largely thanks to Andrew Garfield's amazing performance, Jon is a complex and compelling protagonist. But as the movie explores his tireless work to finish his musical and his battle with self-doubt, he doesn't always make the right choices.
When it comes to his work, Jon is a rare kind of genius and it seems like everyone can see that. But outside of the theater, Jon can often be reckless with his relationships, be unrealistic about his lifestyle, and be generally careless.
Freddy
Freddy is another character whose role is not large but who makes an impact on Jon's journey. He deals with many of the same struggles as the other characters in the movie but is shown to do so in a very rational and clear-headed way.
From his struggling career to his health issues as he battles AIDS, Freddy is able to acknowledge when there are issues yet is practical about dealing with them. He has a healthy and positive outlook that helps him get through the more trying times.
Ira Weitsman
Ira Weitsman is another big supporter in Jon's life and often the voice of reason for him. He completely believes in Jon's vision as an artist, but he also knows that he has to occasionally reel that vision in to a level they can realistically achieve.
Without Ira's grounded way of looking at the strange and ambitious production, it is unlikely Jon's work would have ever gotten made. He is also able to point out issues in the musical that Jon won't even admit to himself. But in the end, he is also smart enough to trust Jon's talent.
Stephen Sondheim
As one of the greatest Broadway musical creators of all time, Stephen Sondheim is someone Jon looks up to a great deal. Though Stephen is not a large figure in Jon's life, he does serve as a very supportive and helpful mentor.
As a brilliant artist himself, Stephen is able to recognize the talent in Jon that others would likely overlook. Were it not for Stephen's encouragement, Jon might have given up on his dreams.
Susan
Jon's relationship with Susan is another key aspect of the movie. Susan herself is a complex person and much more than just the "girlfriend" character. She is supportive of Jon's work but also has her own life that is facing important decisions.
Susan challenges Jon on his behavior at times and is able to see things that he is choosing to ignore. While her own decisions might go against his plans, it is hard not to see things from her point of view.
Michael
Michael is one of the most important people in Jon's story while also having his own emotional journey in the movie. Though Jon seems to lament that Michael left his dreams of acting to work in advertising, Michael has enough self-awareness to realize his talents were not enough to make a career of acting and decided to find a more suitable path.
Like Susan, Michael also has insight into Jon that is spot-on. He can confront him with the hard truths while also remaining a supportive friend.