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You don’t have to be a Beatles fan to know a thing or two about John Lennon. Thirty years after the music icon’s death, his songs are still everywhere—and his influence is still clear. But while you may be able to sing along with his songs, you probably don’t know a whole lot about his life before Beatlemania—a story that’s explored in director Sam Taylor-Wood’s biopic, Nowhere Boy.
Before he became a music legend, John Lennon (Aaron Johnson) was just another teenage troublemaker. Raised by his strict aunt, Mimi (Kristin Scott Thomas), and his fun-loving uncle, George (David Threlfall), John rarely saw his free-spirited mother, Julia (Anne-Marie Duff), until after his uncle’s death.
More a wild older sister than a mother, Julia encouraged John’s rebellious side, introducing him to the world of rock ‘n’ roll. But, caught between the tough aunt who takes care of him and the fun mom who can’t, he soon discovers the truth about his childhood.
Based on Lennon’s half-sister’s memoirs, Nowhere Boy offers a rare glimpse into the life of John Lennon—showing him not as a superstar or as a Beatle but as a confused kid. Johnson’s Lennon is the typical teenage boy. He jokes around with his friends; he hits on girls; he gets into trouble. And although the situation at home is far from ideal, he’s a natural leader, with an exuberant personality that shines through when he gets on stage with his first band, The Quarrymen.
Still, Taylor-Wood chooses to keep Lennon’s eventual stardom in the background. She doesn’t fill the film with footage of The Beatles surrounded by screaming girls. She doesn’t constantly remind her audience that the kid on the screen will go on to become the John Lennon. There are subtle hints along the way—and as the film progresses, music begins to play a bigger part in John’s life—but the story stands on its own. In fact, it’s surprisingly easy to separate the film from the legend. As a result, the focus remains on the family drama—not on Lennon’s music.
Unfortunately, the film seems to do little more than scratch the surface, and the characters aren’t developed as well as they could have been. Julia, especially, is a fascinating character, though her own story (including what seems to be a struggle with bipolar disorder) is told mostly through hints and suggestions.
Instead, Nowhere Boy tells a simple but emotional story, made captivating by its tangled relationships and stand-out performances. If you’re a Beatles fan, you’ll appreciate the occasional references to the band’s founding—and you’ll be absolutely thrilled by Thomas Brodie Sangster’s performance as a young Paul McCartney. But even if you aren’t especially interested in the Fab Four, you’ll still find yourself drawn to the characters and their story.
DVD Review:
The DVD release of Nowhere Boy includes a few extras—but, like the film, they generally avoid references to John’s later life. Instead, there’s Nowhere Boy: The Untold Story of John Lennon and the Creation of The Beatles, which offers a Beatles historian’s take on Lennon’s story, as seen in the film. The DVD also includes a pair of deleted scenes, as well as a making-of feature, in which the cast and crew offer their take on the story and the film.
Though fans will be interested in The Untold Story…, none of the features provide the additional insight that you might be seeking after watching this eye-opening coming-of-age bio.
