moviereview colin fraser film movie australia review critic
Arguably a bio-pic about the formative years of the late John Lennon, Nowhere Boy offers considerably more by way of psychological drama that digs deep into the lasting harm deficient parents inflict upon their children. Boasting excellent performances and a gripping soundtrack (no hits, unless your familiar with The Quarrymen's back catalogue), this debut feature from Sam Taylor Wood marks the start of a promising career.
Screenwriter Matt Greenhalgh (Control) returns to music in this adaptation of a memoir by Lennon's sister Julia Baird. He has a knack for teasing out a thrilling sense of time and place and it is this backdrop – post-war Britain on the verge of a new dawn – that lends Nowhere Boy a sense of urgent wonder. Clues abound to a golden future, but first it's the story of a boy abandoned into the care of his stern Aunt Mimi (a formidable Kristen Scott-Thomas), a boy who then learns that mum still lives around the corner. They reconnect over a passion for music as Lennon forms his first band, though Greenhalgh stays focussed on the domestic scene as secrets are cracked open, tempers fray and emotional structures crumble. Small wonder Lennon was such an angry artist.
Aaron Johnson (Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging) captivates in the lead as he bounces between confused teenager and conflicted young man, the family structure in sudden, and spectacular, free-fall. It's not an easy role, but one he makes his own with total ease. Wood skilfully balances the trial of family and the joy of watching an emerging artist with unexpected prowess. From the heart-lifting opener to the heart-wrenching finale, Nowhere Boy is an absolute joy.
// COLIN FRASER
moviereview colin fraser film movie australia review critic flicks
moviereview colin fraser film movie australia review critic flicks
The most interesting observation about this portrait of Lennon as a young man is the fact that there is no mention of The Beatles. This is life before the fab four and it is a poignant story of a rebellious teenager who was jumping out of his creative skin in a drab, post-war city in the North of England. The drabness is kept at a distance in Sam Taylor Wood’s depiction of a faded, but beautifully toned Liverpool, which looks period perfect.
Aaron Johnson’s portrayal of Lennon is pretty accurate if we believe in all the stuff we’ve read about him. He revelled in gallows humour, he had a dark side that would probably be diagnosed as some form of depression if he was still alive today and, above all, he had a natural gift that he gave to the world and, to this day, it still resonates. Johnson is uncannily like Lennon in his mannerisms which adds to the authenticity of his portrayal.
Women were undoubtedly a significant part of Lennon’s life which continued through to his relationship with Yoko Ono. First off the block was the formidable Aunt Mimi, played perfectly by Cristin Scott-Thomas, who raised him from the age of five and gave him his middle class aspirations. Then there was his spirited, but repressed mother, Julia, played by Anne-Marie Duff (recognized for her role in TV’s Shameless) who, judging by the wonderful scenes in the film, encouraged him to develop his artistic side and in doing so, he set himself free. This relationship is immortalized in the lyrics of ‘Woman’ where Lennon wails, ‘Woman I know you understand…the little child inside this man.’ The relationship came to a crushing finale when Julia was run over by a drunk, off-duty policeman.
However, a little known fact which was beautifully explored during the early scenes of the film was the close relationship Lennon had with his uncle George. Taylor-Wood’s film depicts this very gentle, loving relationship and sets the mood for the on-going tragedies that befell those close to Lennon. It also helps the audience understand where the anger and frustration, which seemed to envelop Lennon’s character, came from.
Paul McCartney, here played as a young, likeable dandy by Thomas Sangster, is the most confronting person Lennon faces. They bond through their music and you get the impression that it was McCartney who really managed to harness Lennon’s talent. They had a love-hate relationship that generated some of the best lyrics ever written. That may be a matter of opinion, but Wood manages to show their kindred spirit in a mannered, positive way.
Lennon fans will sit back and immerse themselves in this yarn. And, it’s not a bad one. There may be some disappointment for those who were expecting a bit more of the Lennon we knew who rocked the establishment. However, we do get to see how his character evolved and as the story heads towards Hamburg, without actually getting there, we know the rest is history.
// SALT
moviereview colin fraser film movie australia review critic flicks