Nowhere Boy (2009)

If you’re a fan of The Beatles, then you’ll probably love this movie. It gives a rare insight into the complexities of John Lennon’s youth and documents problems he encountered, which inspired some of his music. If you’re not a fan of  The Beatles, you’ll probably still love this movie, as it contains a powerful story about a dysfunctional family.  Lennon led an interesting and action packed life, even before he became famous. The title ‘Nowhere Boy’ is clearly derived from the popular track ‘Nowhere Man’, which was written about this this stage in Lennon’s life, when he didn’t know where he was going or what the future held.

Like a lot of people, I grew up listening to The Beatles. I know most of their songs word for word, but prior to seeing this film, I had little knowledge about the individual Beatles and their history. Nowhere Boy allowed me to learn something about John Lennon. The film covers important stages in his teenage life,  which include: the death of his uncle and father figure, his blossoming relationship with his previously absent mother, buying his first guitar, meeting Paul McCartney and forming the band that would make music history.

Nowhere Boy largely focuses on Lennon’s troubled and complex family life. At the start of the movie, Lennon’s uncle dies and John is griefstruck.  This death leaves John in the sole care of his Aunt Mimi (Kristin Scott Thomas). After his Uncle’s funeral John is reintroduced to his mother Julia, who for reasons unknown has been absent from his life for years, despite only living a few streets away. Against Aunt Mimi’s wishes,  the pair start to get to know one another. Julia introduces him to rock music and encourages John to learn guitar, and John relishes this new attention.

The differences between the two sisters Julia and Mimi is very great, and it’s not obvious until stated that they are even related. Mimi has always tried to teach John rules and limits and finds it difficult to show affection, whilst Julia actively encourages John’s rebellious side and lavishes attention on him. Julia’s overly affectionate manner, particularly towards John, is actually uncomfortable to watch at times, and hints at unstable tendencies. The two parenting methods don’t seem to work in conjuction with one another and the conflict causes John to rebel.

Aaron Johnson is truly incredible as John Lennon. He sounds exactly like him, and it’s not just the liverpool accent; he also manages to pefectly convey the idiosyncracies of Lennon’s voice and mannerisms. From the very start of the film, it’s easy for the viewer to accept Johnson as Lennon and get carried along by the story. Thomas Sangster (you may recognise him as the young boy in love in Love Actually) is less impressive as Paul McCartney. He’s peculiar looking, which is in contrast to McCartney’s conventional good looks, and it was hard to see past this aesthetic difference. This isn’t really a major issue though, as at this period in John’s life, McCartney only has a small part to play anyway.

Kristin Scott Thomas is brilliantly cast as Aunt Mimi. She is prim and proper, and incapable of expressing affection and emotion, although we can clearly see she feels it. There is a touching moment when John tries to hug her after her husband’s death and all she can do is tell him to stop being silly.

Nowere Boy is a touching portrayal of a musical legend  before he reached the heights of fame. It provides a glimpse into what made Lennon the man and musician he became and looks at relationships in his youth that may have inspired  his future music.

Dir: Sam Taylor Wood

Starring: Aaron Johnson, Kristin Scott Thomas, Ann-Marie Duff

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