Inclubabu
Plot so thin, it passes unnoticed.
Beystiman
It's fun, it's light, [but] it has a hard time when its tries to get heavy.
Billie Morin
This movie feels like it was made purely to piss off people who want good shows
MaxHaydon1994
I couldn't believe i'd never heard of this film before. But 8 years after it's release I finally got round to watching it.. all of 30 minutes after finding out about it's existence. An undoubtedly interesting topic for a film. The younger years of John Lennon were something of a mystery to me. As I suppose is natural for someone in their 20's.. I do not know a hell of a lot about Lennon, despite growing up with the sound of 'Imagine' as it is my mum's favourite and one of my favourite songs.My minimum expectation was that I would come out of watching this film with new information, having learnt something new about the beetles and Lennon in particular. What i gained from the film was so much more. The film is beautifully directed by Sam Taylor Johnson and stars a young Aaron Taylor Johnson. The two of course met on the set of the film and later married. Perhaps the only thing I did know about this film. I however didn't know it was about a young John Lennon. As I had only heard the film mentioned in passing remarks with barely enough detail to catch my interest.This film seemed to become more famous for controversial romance between the film's star and director (due to their 20 odd year age gap) then it did for the film itself. In truth this film is short, sweet and extremely well made. It left me feeling like there could have been a sequel, which we know now obviously never came. However I think most people could appreciate this for what it is. It's a very small part in the life of John Lennon but perhaps a defining time in his young life. I rate this film 7/10, with my only criticism that it could have been longer and fed my appetite slightly more for information .
grantss
A great exploration of John Lennon's teen years, especially his relationships with his mom and aunt/guardian. The relationships are quite sensitively handled, though maybe overwrought.Also shows what shaped his personality and subsequent history. As a music fan, the events that created the Beatles and their music are particularly interesting, especially Lennon's first meeting with Paul McCartney and their subsequent friendship and collaboration. Aaron Johnson is very good as Lennon, Kristin Scott Thomas is superb as Aunt Mimi and the remaining cast are solid.Worth watching as a biopic on one of the most influential musicians in history, or purely as a human drama.
Desertman84
Nowhere Boy is a biopic about John Lennon's adolescence, his relationships with his guardian aunt and his birth mother, the creation of his first band, The Quarrymen, and its evolution into The Beatles. It stars Aaron Johnson as the young Lennon together with Thomas Sangster,Anne-Marie Duff and Kristin Scott Thomas.The film is based on a biography written by Lennon's half-sister Julia Baird.Young John is a bright but sharp-tongued boy living in the coastal town of Liverpool during the 1950s with his aunt Mimi and uncle George.John's father walked out on the family when he was four years old, and the boy was given to Mimi to raise, even though his mother, Julia, was still alive. While Mimi's straight-laced nature runs counter to John's more reckless personality, they clearly love one another and the household is thrown into chaos when George dies suddenly. At the funeral, teenage John sees Julia, and learns to his surprise that she lives only a few blocks away from Mimi. John pays her a visit, and Julia gratefully welcomes him back into her life. Julia's personality is a much closer fit to John than Mimi, and she encourages his love for writing and music, teaching him to play the banjo. However, John's renewed relationship with Julia brings up a number of unanswered questions, and causes new tensions between Mimi and John. And as rock & roll becomes the hot new sound of the day, John falls in love with the bold new music and makes a friend who is interested in forming a band, Paul McCartney and George Harrison.If you've seen read or seen the Beatles history in literature or film, you'll adore Nowhere Boy for filling in more blank spaces about the early life particularly that of John Lennon.This biopic succeeds because its creators never wallow in admiration.Also,they keep contrivances to a minimum and has a lead actor in Aaron Johnson who manages to evolve his character rather than imitate the person he is portraying.He was simply restrained and has a low-key approach in his performance.Overall,expect new insights about the young Lennon in this film.
s t
I really enjoyed this film which I watched at the "Woolton" in south Liverpool which is a small independent cinema located in the heart of the area featured in the film of John Lennon's adolescence.I thought the film convincingly conjured up the period which I lived through myself. I also bought into the tension between the characters in certain scenes.Best of all was the casting of Aaron Johnson as Lennon. He gives a truly brilliant portrayal of the complex man, disturbing in some places, laugh out loud funny in others.This is proper film making with a clear narrative and character development in situations that should lead you through a range of emotions by the time it ends.
