Nowhere Boy (2009)

A chronicle of John Lennon's first years, focused mainly in his adolescence and his relationship with his stern aunt Mimi, who raised him, and his absentee mother Julia, who re-entered his life at a crucial moment in his young life.

Director:

Sam Taylor-Johnson

Writer:

Matt Greenhalgh (screenplay)

Stars:

Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Kristin Scott Thomas, David Threlfall

Nominated for 4 BAFTA Film Awards. Another 5 wins & 17 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Aaron Taylor-Johnson	...	John (as Aaron Johnson)
Kristin Scott Thomas	...	Mimi
David Threlfall	...	Uncle George
Josh Bolt	...	Pete Shotton
Ophelia Lovibond	...	Marie
Kerrie Hayes	...	Marie's Friend
Angela Walsh	...	Schoolmistress
Paul Ritter	...	Popjoy
Richard Syms	...	Reverend
Anne-Marie Duff	...	Julia
James Johnson	...	Stan
Alex Ambrose	...	Young John
Angelica Jopling	...	Julia - Aged 8
Abby Greenhalgh	...	Jackie (aged 6)
David Morrissey	...	Bobby

Storyline

The story of John Lennon's childhood and teenage years from 1944 to 1960, his relationship with his aunt Mimi and his mother Julia -the two dominant women in the first part of his life-, his first meeting with Paul McCartney and George Harrison, their friendship, their love for music and the birth of The Beatles.

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Plot Keywords:

adolescence | childhood | the beatles | love | 1960s | 

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Taglines:

The Extraordinary Untold Story Of John Lennon.

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Genres:

Biography | Drama | Music

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language and a scene of sexuality

Details

Official Sites:

Official site Official site [fr]

Country:

UK Canada

Language:

English

Release Date:

25 December 2009 (UK)

Also Known As:

Mi nombre es John Lennon

Filming Locations:

Blackpool, Lancashire, England, UK

Box Office

Opening Weekend:

$52,749 (USA) (8 October 2010)

Gross:

$1,445,366 (USA) (3 December 2010)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Ecosse Films, Film4, UK Film Council

Technical Specs

Runtime:

98 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

In this film David Threlfall plays Anne-Marie Duff's brother-in-law. In the series Shameless he played her father.

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Goofs

A Pono ukulele is shown in the music shop, a brand that didn't exist until the 1980s.

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Quotes

John: Why do you know so much?I mean you don't seem like the rock and roll kind of guy
Paul McCartney: What you mean because I don't go around smashing things up and
[gulps]
Paul McCartney: acting like a dick?
John: Yea
Paul McCartney: No.It's the music.That's it,just music.Simple

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Connections

References Melody (1971)

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Soundtracks

"Mother"
Performed by John Lennon

User Reviews

Julia

There is a lot of controversy surrounding Nowhere Boy, the biopic of John Lennon's early years. Lennon's family were critical of the project and on set director Sam Taylor-Wood earn herself a toyboy, star Aaron Johnson. But Nowhere Boy is very well film and a excellent directional debut for Taylor-Wood.

In 1950s Liverpool John Lennon (Johnson) lives with his aunt Mimi (Kristin Scott Thomas) whom uncle and father-figure, George (David Threlfall) dies of a heart attack. This tragic event spurs John on to find his mother, Julia (Anne-Marie Duff), who happened to live close by. Julia has her own family, with two daughter, but she soon teaches John about rock'n'roll and how to play the banjo. Soon John starts to form his own skittle band: but Mimi and Julia soon clash and John's domestic situation becomes more chaotic.

Nowhere Boy was written by Matt Greenhalgh, who also wrote Control, he must have a liking for musical bio-pics. He was able to write a taut script looking at two different parental approaches and how they have positive and negative effects, as well the forming of a band. This is combined by Taylor-Wood's effective directing, making a fast pace with a strong visual style, form her sideways tracking shots of John as he is walking and the montage scene where John is practicing on the banjo in real time with everything around him is sped-up. There is a real period feel in the sets and the costumes, making it feel more real, even more impressive considering the low budget and there is a very good soundtrack of classic 50s rock.

The best feature of the film is the three leading actors of Johnson, Scott Thomas and Duff. All three are very talented actors. Duff is particularly impressive as the fun loving biological mother of John who obviously suffering from bipolar disorder. She is great for John's musical development but terrible for when John really needs her. Mimi is a more restraint character, a typical old-fashioned personality of stiff-upper lip and don't show emotion. She is a sterner character who does is a disciplinant and does not know how to react to a rebellious teenager. Johnson himself is a very promising actor, also proving himself in Kick-Ass and he has a great future ahead of him. He had to show a young man who is talented, has a number of desires but also got a lot of anger inside of him directed to both his mother and aunt.

For Beatles fans there are few references to Strawberry Fields and the Cavern Club and I am sure there are more that I missed.