The teen John Lennon was exactly what anyone would expect: a rebel, a punk, a troublemaker, cocky and, all the same, brilliant.
That's what Nowhere Boy will have you believe, anyway, as it depicts in detail the bumpy ride that was Lennon's turbulent teenage years.
And Lennon's childhood was anything but glad all over. Raised by his strict maternal aunt Mimi (Kristin Scott Thomas) in blue-collar Liverpool, Lennon's (Aaron Johnson) life is thrown into turmoil when his uncle dies of a heart attack and his mother, Julia, suddenly reenters his life. Frustrated with school and his strait-laced aunt, the defiant and sharp-tongued John takes to Julia, who he hasn't seen in over 10 years but whose personality meshes a whole lot better with his than Mimi's.
It's Julia who introduces John to the American rock 'n' rollers that would not only inspire him but the whole of the British Invasion. He soon starts dressing like a greaser, starts a band (The Quarrymen) and meets two fellows named Paul and George who seem to share his natural musical talent. It isn't all hunky-dory, though. The ghosts that still haunt John and make him vulnerable threaten to destroy his life and his relationship with both mother-figures in his life, as well as destroying his precious musical talent that's still in its infant stages.
In Nowhere Boy, don't expect a band biopic about the formation and rise to stardom of The Beatles; that name, in fact, is never mentioned, and only a small subplot deals with the friendship and start of the musical relationship among young John, Paul and George. From this film, you'd never suspect that these young men would go on to become, in Lennon's words, bigger than Jesus.
The movie has its flaws - it's overly dramatic, there are far too many scenes where the taps open, and the tears gush out for no real reason. Johnson does a fine job, but even so has a difficult time riding the roller coaster that Lennon's emotions go through repeatedly.
And that's the other problem; the film is also very repetitive, with John continually coming and going, screaming and crying, laughing and then whining again. There's also a twist that, while faithful to actual events, will have you wondering if Yoko Ono is going to make a cameo.
But these are small qualms in an otherwise good addition to the musical biopic genre, adding a forgotten and little known piece to the puzzle of Lennon and the early days of what would become the world's critically acclaimed band.
In other words, just buy your ticket and enjoy the ride.
3 Culture
Cameron Dunbar
