NOWHERE BOY
January 14th 2010 22:34
NATURALLY, the life of John Lennon after he became one of the most famous people on Earth is well documented, but his tumultuous childhood has rarely been investigated in film, and that’s where Nowhere Boy comes in.
Brought up by his austere aunt Mimi (Kristin Scott Thomas) in dreary, post-war Liverpool, the young John (Aaron Johnson) is a bit wild, a trait he shares with his manic-depressive mother, Julia (Anne-Marie Duff). A fervent interest in the revolutionary music coming out of America coincides with John’s desire to get to know his estranged mum, and she teaches him to play the banjo, although the relationship is far from normal. After starting a skiffle band with school friends, other musicians from the area gravitate towards John, including a small kid named Paul McCartney (Thomas Sangster), who encourages him to write his own songs.
It’s always interesting to see icons from a fresh perspective, and artist-turned-director Sam Taylor Wood has done well to present an engaging story without making it a gratuitous fan flick. In fact, the ‘B’ word isn’t mentioned once. Imagine that.
Brought up by his austere aunt Mimi (Kristin Scott Thomas) in dreary, post-war Liverpool, the young John (Aaron Johnson) is a bit wild, a trait he shares with his manic-depressive mother, Julia (Anne-Marie Duff). A fervent interest in the revolutionary music coming out of America coincides with John’s desire to get to know his estranged mum, and she teaches him to play the banjo, although the relationship is far from normal. After starting a skiffle band with school friends, other musicians from the area gravitate towards John, including a small kid named Paul McCartney (Thomas Sangster), who encourages him to write his own songs.
It’s always interesting to see icons from a fresh perspective, and artist-turned-director Sam Taylor Wood has done well to present an engaging story without making it a gratuitous fan flick. In fact, the ‘B’ word isn’t mentioned once. Imagine that.
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