Review: Nowhere Boy

Posted by Matt at 19:07 on 26 Dec 2009 Reviews A-Z

The iconic opening chord of A Hard Day's Night is one of the most recognisable introductions to any song ever recorded. It's a one-of-a-kind, messy clash that is an audacious start to an otherwise well-loved melody, and, fittingly, it's the first thing we hear in this portrayal of John Lennon's early troublesome youth.

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11 comments.

Posted by Luke at 11:34 on 29/12/09

Do they cover the bit when he kicked someone to death?

Posted by Matt at 23:56 on 28/12/09

I have to say, I didn't really like little Macca in this film. Sangster is a good actor but he just looked so much younger than the rest of the cast. It looked like a little boy trying to join the Big Boy's gang.

Still a cracking movie though - I thought I knew mot of what there is to know about Lennon, being a big fan, but this film was a real insight.

Posted by anonameslob at 16:25 on 27/12/09

Forgot to say, little Macca is ace.

Posted by Nick at 16:16 on 27/12/09

I love Lennon but I'm not feeling motivated to watch this, I doubt it'll enlighten me on anything I don't already know. I'll add it to my rental list.

Posted by anonameslob at 15:59 on 27/12/09

I really enjoyed this film. It's understated, it doesn't lay on the nods to the beatles too thickly. In fact, you could almost forget that it's about John Lennon, and just take it as an absorbing story. I always had the impression JL was a bit self righteous, but this film shows a different side to him - cheeky, charismatic and flawed. The cast is fantasic, especially Anne-Marie Duff.

Posted by Goatboy at 14:02 on 27/12/09

Coming over 'ere taking our bandwidth
*shakes fist*

Posted by neophyte at 11:03 on 27/12/09

Not that I'm a huge fan of either JL or Beatles, but I don't think all the lyrics should be taken literally. By the way - being Pole I also hate communism which wasted (at least) 50 years of my country's development. So to say.

Posted by Pandaemonium at 10:08 on 27/12/09

The 'Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll' Drury biopic interests me more than this, and I have little urge to watch that. :D

Posted by Goatboy at 09:23 on 27/12/09

Not a fan of Sam Taylor Wood, her "video installation" stuff bores me to tears and can't think of anything worse than sitting through a feature from her rather than standing there in Tate Modern for 21 seconds thinking "....." and walking away.

And I couldn't be arsed about Lennon to be honest.

Posted by Ben at 09:10 on 27/12/09

I bloody hate John Lennon. I don't have anything against The Beatles music, quite like some of it, but Lennon just pisses me off. I think it's the Communist crap in Imagine "Imagine no possession" er no thanks, I like stuff. And the mixing of war and Christmas in Merry Christmas War is Over. Fuck right off.

So I won't be watching this...

Posted by Ali at 19:17 on 26/12/09

I'd quite like to see this. Doesn't look like your average biopic. In other hands, it could have been quite awful, with heavy-handed references like Lennon walking through fields of strawberries and stuff.

This kid Aaron Johnson looks like being quite a big star after this and Kick-Ass. Interesting fact: he's now married to the 42 year-old director of this movie.