Reel Rewind: “Nowhere Boy”

My jaunt to Marina Del Rey this afternoon to see “Nowhere Boy” was courtesy of Campus Circle. I was a runner-up winner of their recent sweepstakes contest for the movie and my prize was a run of engagement pass good at any Los Angeles area AMC Theatre. “Nowhere Boy” wasn’t playing at any of the AMC theatres to which I usually go, so a little extra traveling was necessary. Finding the theatre was easy enough, though confusingly it still has the name Odeon Cineplex (wonder how long AMC has actually owned the multiplex – a physical name change would be helpful).

While waiting for the film to begin, I thought I would be the only viewer of “Nowhere Boy” at the screening; but eventually I heard the sound of popcorn munching and the rare opportunity of having a whole theatre to myself was not to be. A different sound soon reached my ears when the film began with the screams of young females and John Lennon running towards them. This sound would be a part of Lennon’s future life, but the sounds of Lennon’s adolescent life in Liverpool are the ones I’m hearing today.

Lennon’s (Aaron Johnson) and his Uncle George’s laughter and his Aunt Mimi’s classical music is our introduction to Lennon’s domestic life in his mid-adolescence. Sadly George’s laughter ends too soon (both in real life and the film), but out of this tragedy Lennon "begins" a long over-due relationship with his mother Julia (Anne-Marie Duff). The sounds of their relationship begin with an outing to a pier in Blackpool and progresses over the next few years from banjo lessons and the song “Maggie May” to words of truth. The child finds the lost mother, learns the truth behind the losing, only to tragically lose her again, forever.

With his Aunt Mimi (Kristen Scott Thomas), Lennon lives in quietness with refrains of “glasses, John”, evolving to clashes about his mother and school, to departure towards his own life. And intertwined with the mother and the aunt is the development of Lennon’s music sensibility from Elvis Presley “Shake, Rattle & Roll” (wants to be him) and Buddy Holly “Peggy Sue” (imitates his look) to his first band, The Quarrymen and to writing his own songs. However "truthful" this whisper of one part of Lennon’s Liverpool life is, the best sounds are coming and will carry across the world.

Although Aaron Johnson may be a little too attractive to play John Lennon, the casting of “Nowhere Boy” is fine, though most of them are unknown to me. When I first saw the cast list, I thought the only person I’d seen before was Kristen Scott Thomas; however, it turns out that I saw Thomas Sangster (Paul) in “Love Actually” (he doesn’t look that much older). The song “Nowhere Man”, from which this film takes part of its title, was first recorded beginning on Thursday 21 October 1965, forty-five years ago today. Finally for Lennon, one can sing “Nowhere Man, the world is at your command!” Now if they can only get the right chord to your story.


Film Facts: Director: Sam Taylor-Wood, Writers: Julia Baird, Matt Greenhalgh, Cinematographer: Seamus McGarvey, Editor: Lisa Gunning, Musicians: Alison Goldfrapp, Will Gregory, Producers: Robert Bernstein, Matt Delargy, Jon Diamond, Tim Haslam, Kevin Loader, Jaynie Miller, Christopher Moll, Douglas Rae, Paul Ritchie, Tessa Ross, James Saynor, Mark Woolley, Production Companies: Ecosse Films, Film4, UK Film Council, Aver Media, North West Vision

Film Type: Biography, Drama, Music, Cast: Aaron Johnson (John), Kristin Scott Thomas (Mimi), David Threlfall (Uncle George), Josh Bolt (Pete), Ophelia Lovibond (Marie), Kerrie Hayes (Marie’s Friend), Angela Walsh (Schoolmistress), Paul Ritter (Pobjoy), Richard Syms (Reverend), Anne-Marie Duff (Julia), James Johnson (Stan), Alex Ambrose (Young John), Angelica Jopling (Julia – Aged 8), Abby Greenhalgh (Jackie – Aged 6), David Morrissey (Bobby), Length: 98’, Language: English, Countries: United Kingdom, Canada, Year: 2009
Film Trailer
United States release date Friday 8 October 2010


Images:
Left: “Nowhere Boy” pass
Center: Graphic interpretation of “Nowhere Boy” created by Adrean Darce Brent
Right: “Nowhere Boy” poster from the website obzarkina.tv