Review of Nowhere Boy (2009) by Smellycat — 20 Oct 2010
Going into Nowhere Boy not being the hugest fan of the Beatles, or frankly, having any knowledge on the history of John Lennon may have been the best thing for enjoying this movie as much as I did. It's a solid family drama, with nothing particularly new or exciting about it: Lennon is abandoned by his mother as a child and taken in by his aunt, and the journey to reconnecting with his mother results in the usual types of family conflicts and hurt feelings.
What elevates the movie is the performances of Kristin Scott Thomas and Anne-Marie Duff. Thomas is brilliant in something of a thankless role, giving us the stern and strict aunt type while adding amazing depth to her and making the audience care for her.
Duff is the biggest stand out as the happy-go-lucky mother who is just impossible for John to get close too. The rest of the film is standard yet solid. Johnson has some struggles as Lennon, coming off as awkward for the latter half.
Beatles fans might complain about the lack of music or Beatles references, but it's a solid biopic.
This review of Nowhere Boy (2009) was written by Smellycat on 20 Oct 2010.
Nowhere Boy has generally received positive reviews.
Was this review helpful?
