Review of Nowhere Boy (2009) by Leanne C — 14 Feb 2011
An emotionally gripping biography on a rock-and-roll legend.
By now, everyone in the world is familiar with The Beatles: Ringo Starr, George Harrison, Paul McCartney, and John Lennon. But how many of us knew about his childhood, his home life?
Nowhere Boy covers John Lennon from 1955 to 1960, from his years as a young man living with his Aunt Mimi (Scott Thomas). John (Johnson) is a rebellious youth, always getting in trouble at school and making a ruckus with his friends out and about. Soon, John's friend Pete (Bolt) has discovered that John's mother Julia (Marie-Duff) lives nearby and John has finally got to meet the mother he's never seen for years. Julia becomes John's inspiration, his drive toward the siren song of rock-and-roll. Then, as they say, the rest is history.
The one criticism I have? Nowhere Boy is a tad too self-aware. Sure, we the audience know that John Lennon will soon go on to biggger and better things, but did everyone in his life? At times, it feels like the screenwriter (or the director) just wanted to fit in another Beatles reference just in case the audience forgets whom the movie is about. Other than that, the film boasts a great rock-and-roll soundtrack and stellar performances from the cast. Big kudos to Johnson (Kick-Ass); his portrayal of John Lennon was humorous, charming, and emotional.
If you're a Beatles fan, you'll love Nowhere Boy.
This review of Nowhere Boy (2009) was written by Leanne C on 14 Feb 2011.
Nowhere Boy has generally received positive reviews.
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