Nowhere Boy

UK Release: 25th December 2009

Watched on Recorded TV: Monday 17th October 2011

Rating: 15

Genre: Biography, Drama, Music

Runtime: 1hr 38mins

Tagline: The Extraordinary Untold Story Of John Lennon.

IMDb Plot Summary: A chronicle of John Lennon's childhood and teenage years from 1944 to 1960, focused mainly in his adolescence and his relationship with his stern aunt Mimi, who raised him, and his absentee mother Julia, who re-entered his life at a crucial moment in his young life.

My Review: I don’t know what I was expecting from this film, but the intensity and the quality took me by surprise. First and foremost Nowhere boy isn’t about the Beatles, but instead focuses on John and his complex relationship with his strict Aunt Mimi, who was his guardian and his mother (played beautifully by Anne-Marie Duff), who was full of life, but absent for much of his childhood as well as being mentally ill. The subtext between them is almost visible on screen, making for some intense scenes.

The performances from every single cast member are outstanding. 

My favourite was the wonderful Kristin Scott Thomas, who played Mimi. Her complicated relationship with her sister, and thus her son was enthralling and played to minute detail, leaving me with a full sense of the woman, and even making me sympathise a great deal with her actions. John himself was played by Aaron Johnson a break out star who hasn’t done anything as good since, but I hope will fins something again to flex those acting muscles of his as it is all there.  He totally embodied John Lennon for me and made feel connect with him in a way I never had before, not even after seeing the fantastic Christopher Eccleston play him about a year ago in Lennon Naked.

Director, Sam Taylor-Wood captured the nostalgic feeling of the 50’s and 60’s well, with some brilliant cinematography and a riveting soundtrack that spins across the whole film making you wish you lived in the 60’s. This film is an example of good pacing, something which only seems important when it isn’t right - which has unfortunately been the case for many of the films I’ve seen recently. The ending could have ended before it did, but it was incredibly emotional, leaving tender moments in the mind long after the credits rolled...

Score: 8.5/10