Nowhere Boy (2009)

Kristin Scott-Thomas is wonderful as the chilly aunt Mimi who raised John Lennon, and Anne-Marie Duff adorable as her free-spirited sister Julia, but Aaron Johnson is a bit too earnest as the teenage John Lennon in a turbulent time of his life. Think Eric Stoltz who was cut from Back to the Future. Acting chops, sure, and cute as a button, but so SERIOUS, even when John is being playful. Although maybe it's the turbulence of the story or the directing and I'm blaming the wrong person. Then, there's another issue I have that's kind of a spoiler, in my opinion, so ask me off the page and I'll tell you. I liked Johnson's work in Kick-Ass and Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging, and he helps us feel young John's pain. We just don't see his funny side after the first 15 minutes, and we know Lennon had one. Some of my faves of Thomas' work: Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994), The English Patient (1996) which got her an Oscar nomination, The Horse Whisperer (1998), Gosford Park (2001), Life as a House (2001), and I've Loved You So Long. Duff, who played the severe Sasha Tolstoy in The Last Station and was in the great Is Anybody There?, finally gets a meaty role here and skips away with it (that's a good thing). 20 year old (same age as Johnson) Thomas Brodie Sangster, who plays Paul McCartney, looks nothing like Paul but seemed so familiar when I saw him onscreen. That's because I saw him in the trailers for Nanny McPhee (2005), and he played Liam Neeson's son in Love Actually (2003) and Fanny Brawne's little brother in Bright Star. Sangster knew how to play the guitar when he got the part, but had to learn to do it left-handed to match Paul.

This is director Sam Taylor-Wood's feature debut. The other noteworthy thing about this 43 year old is that she is engaged to her star Johnson and their baby girl was born less than a month after his 20th birthday. Perhaps they're waiting until he's of legal age to tie the knot? Oh, wait. Wikipedia says that in the United Kingdom the age of consent is 16. Taylor-Wood has two daughters by her first marriage, the elder of whom, Angelica Jopling, born in 1997, plays Lennon's young half sister, also named Julia (her married name is now Julia Baird).

Apparently screenwriter Matt Greenhalgh is a bit free-spirited with the facts, and, although imdb gives Baird's memoir Imagine This - Growing up with my brother John Lennon a writing credit, she is a nowhere girl in the movie's credits. Johnson gets credit for vocals and guitar (as part of the band called The Nowhere Boys), as does Sam Bell, who plays George Harrison, but Sangster does not. The 33 song soundtrack (the first 18 songs are in the movie and the last 15 are "inspired" by it) should do well with its 50's era rock 'n' roll, a few songs by The Nowhere Boys, and Mother by John Lennon. The only Lennon music you will hear are the opening chord from A Hard Day's Night at the opening of the movie, and Mother over the credits. Here's a track from the movie and the real thing for your enjoyment.

I am in the minority for not loving this unabashedly. Rottentomatoes gives it 81% from critics, though only 70% from audiences. Roger Ebert gives it 3½ stars, and there are plenty of things to recommend it in addition to the acting and music above: sets, costumes, great greaser hair, and Liverpool and Blackpool locations. For the record, Jack liked it better than I did, and I think it's worth seeing. Plus I want to know what you think!