Director: Sam Taylor-Johnson (as Sam Taylor-Wood)
Writer: Matt Greenhalgh (screenplay)
Stars: Aaron Taylor-Johnson (as Aaron Johnson), Kristin Scott Thomas, Anne-Marie Duff
He’s a real Nowhere Boy, sitting in his nowhere land, making all his nowhere plans for nobody…..or something like that.
Nowhere Boy is a film by Sam Taylor-Johnson about John Lennon’s (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) first years, focused mainly in his adolescence and his relationship with his Aunt Mimi (Kristin Scott Thomas), who raised him, and his absentee mother Julia (Anne-Marie Duff), who re-entered his life at a crucial moment in his young life.
When this film was released back in 2009, as a massive John Lennon fan it was a no brainer that I had to go and see this film. I knew the story via The Beatles Anthology (1995) and Imagine (1990) and various publications but from a cinematic perspective I had yet to see a film that covered theses years before the fab four went off to Hamburg (Which Backbeat did in 1994) on their way to conquering the world.
This film of course is where future husband and wife met and became one “Taylor-Johnson” Firstly Aaron Taylor-Johnson as John Lennon is eerily similar to the young Lennon at this stage in his life. The Actor manages to pull of a convincing scouse accent and his mannerisms are pretty much spot on. Although known for being a “Working Class” hero, John Lennon actually lived in a more well to do area of Liverpool but with tragic consequences. He lived most of his early life with his Aunt Mimi as the relationship between his Father and Mother all but deteriorated by the time he was five years old. The complexities and circumstances of those early years and the passing of his Uncle George (David Threlfall) who was Mimi’s husband, convinced the young Lennon that he was perhaps a jinx on the male side of his family. His father Fred (Alfred Lennon) left Britain early in John’s life to find work in New Zealand and rarely had any contact with his Son (until he became famous) Aaron Taylor-Johnson as Lennnon deals with these issues in a way that only a young boy can. Confused, hurt, angry….its all there in the characteristics of the 15 year old John Lennnon.
What a casting choice in the role of Aunt Mimi. Kristin Scott Thomas is perfect as the stern aunt who John lives with. Disciplined and protective of him, Scott Thomas plays Mimi as pretty much the straight as a die and matter fo fact character that was Mimi Smith. The relationship between her and John is complex. In Nowhere Boy I was surprised to see that she bought him a guitar and showed some encouragement in his interest for music. I say that as there is the famous quote from Mimi Smith “The guitar’s all right John, but you’ll never make a living out of it”. I imagine Kristin Scott Thomas plays the role in a typical female fashion for the times. Very strong and to the point. That’s not to say that there is vulnerability in the character. Especially around Julia played by the energetic Anne-Marie Duff. The relationship between both the women in John’s life is sad in a way. They both want what is best for the boy but in different ways. Mimi and Julia are like chalk and cheese and things are very strained between them. The resentment early on in the film from Mimi towards Julia for not being a “proper” mother to John certainly is evident here and in real life effected Lennon’s life throughout his forty years on this planet.
The supporting roles of Paul McCartney played by Thomas Brodie Sangster, Uncle George played by David Threlfall and Bobby played by David Morrissey would be a crime to ignore. They play pivotal roles in young Lennon’s life and the shaping of the man he would become. Interestingly the real Paul McCartney confirmed on the film’s release that the punching scene between Paul and John never happened. That I don’t mind as all film at some point adds scenarios for purely good drama. I liked the scene and felt it bonded the two characters in a shared tragedy.
Overall Nowhere Boy is a very good attempt at covering John Lennon’s younger years before he set of with George and Paul to Hamburg along with Stuart, Pete and eventually recruiting a guy named Richard Starkey. The cinematography is a vital part of the storytelling and I felt the filmmakers captured late 1950’s perfectly. The soundtrack is also important and it was nice to see they managed to include some of the early Lennon / McCartney influences in the final product. To cap it off we get a bittersweet moment for John Lennon taking lead vocals on one of the bands first recordings with “In Spite Of All The Danger” with Lennon reminiscing over the better times with his mother who sadly passed away after an off duty police officer crashed his car into her killing her instantly. Aaron Taylor-Johnson sounds very much like Lennon in this sequence and hats off to Thomas Brodie Sangster learning to play left handed guitar to add to the authenticity. Sam Taylor-Johnson did a fine job on Nowhere Boy and I would highly recommend giving this film a watch.
Movie Burner Entertainment 