Review of Nowhere Boy (2009) by Rob B — 14 Oct 2010

Some have claimed that this is âfinallyâ? the John Lennon road to music movie that has never been made. If you are someone completely without knowledge of Lennon or that band he went on to create you must look at this film for what it is. Itâ(TM)s a coming of age story of a deviant boy torn between two mother figures and finding his rightful place in the world. The European indie production certainly doesnâ(TM)t make young John out to be a saint, with his filthy language, drug abuse and sex-capades all before high school graduation I found it difficult to find any sympathy for this iconic character. The performances are the films only saving grace, and Oscar nominee Thomas will likely find herself nominated again for her captivating supporting role.

At age five John (Johnson) remembers his mother and father fighting, him crying and then all he can remember is spending the rest of his childhood with Aunt Mimi (Thomas). Suffocating under Mimiâ(TM)s strict rules and harsh manner rebellion sets in deep as John yearns to reconnect with his mother who has remarried and has two little girls. Her wild party days are anything but behind her, and she encourages Johnâ(TM)s interest and talent in music. The more questions he asks of his mother and Mimi the harder the answers are to bare, he goes back and forth between the two very different sisters looking for a common ground between the two women who care for him.

When the film ended I found I had more questions than answers. Not having any prior knowledge of Lennon or his arguable legacy I felt the film misrepresented and lacked in historical depth. Nowhere Boy lacks a true protagonist leader as all the characters are in one way or another flawed, Mimi perhaps the most innocently flawed because of her strict conservative nature. If I had been given this script and ask for a recommendation on Mimiâ(TM)s portrayal Thomas would have instantly come to mind. In her career she has played some fantastic cruel witch like characters (Up at the Villa, Gosford Park) that underneath their concrete exterior actually have a soft heart. Her only Oscar nomination was for The English Patient, but was severely overlooked with her 2008 French film Iâ(TM)ve Loved You So Long. Her supporting performance will likely land the film a single nomination.

Lead actor Johnson (also engaged to the director) does more in the looks department for Lennon than a dead on lookalike would have, which supports my claim that this film also caters to the audience wanting to see a typical coming of age movie with all its indecent segments. Finding Neverlandâ(TM)s Freddie Highmore plays an embarrassing Paul McCartney and the origin of The Beatles must be in another movie somewhere. As coming of age films go there are certainly better, more resonating pictures, Nowhere Boy seems caught between genres and never flushes out either.

Final Thought â" Thomas raises the film to memorable heights with her tough as bark character.

Grade C+.

By: Dustin Chase W.

Editor: Jennifer Gih.