Review of Nowhere Boy (2009) by Ryangee — 31 Jan 2011

From Nowhere Boy's chic Elvis backed introduction, we see a young John Lennon who is informed by his principal that "...you'll be lucky to find a job...because you're going nowhere." The defiant Lennon gives a lighthearted sinister smirk, and replies, "Is 'nowhere' full of geniuses sir? Because then I probably do belong there." Drawing from this scene, it is ironic that a film that is focused on one of the more genuine and intelligent figures in music, is rather more emotionally based than anything else. With that said, unlike some recent biopics (i.e. Coco avant Chanel) that depicted solely the roots of a famous celebrity, Nowhere Boy approaches its material in a way that is entertaining and effective.

Nowhere Boy depicts the life of Beatles member John Lennon prior to the success of his legendary band. Portrayed by Aaron Johnson, the film examines Lennon's early life and the influence he had by the two women in his life: Lennon's parental figure Aunt Mimi (Kristin Scott Thomas) and his irresponsible mother, Julia Lennon (Annie-Marie Duff). Aaron Johnson plays Lennon in an uncannily accurate manner; He does not force his impersonation, rather the subtlety and poise he displays gives the audience an undeniable representation of the Beatle. Thomas and Duff, who supports Johnson as Lennon's parental figures, add to an opposing spectrum that contributes to the overall balance of the film. The film in definitely touching in its performances, and shows Lennon's more emotion and casual side.

Not only is the film well acted, it looks good as well. Intertwining vintage tunes and captivating yet subtle imagery, the audience gets a perfect picture of Britain in its pre-rock and skiffle-based stage. Overall, Nowhere Boy is far from a masterpiece. There is hardly any focus on The Beatles nor any sense of Lennon's musical genius. There is solely a single reference to Lennon's songwriting, thus the film lacks any ambition of its focused topic. While the film perfectly succeeds in projecting its emotional side, there is no focus on intellect. This flaw can probably be ignored in any other film, but a film based on John Lennon should have some share of his musical ambition. Nowhere Boy largely delivers an entertaining biopic, but it's really only half of what it should aim for.