Monday, March 28, 2011

Nowhere Boy (2010)

Aaron Johnson is a star in the making. Since I watched this in America, this comes fresh off the heels of his great turn in Kick-Ass. Now, he's a teenage John Lennon discovering the world of rock 'n roll.

John Lennon (Johnson) is a troubled youth growing up in the ever-changing times of the mid-1950s. He's grown up in the care of his Aunt Mimi (Kristin Scott Thomas) after his mother decided to walk out of his life when he was a boy. But a recent death in the family makes John want to find Julia Lennon (Anne-Marie Duff). As it turns out, she might be pretty cool. Julia teaches John about rock 'n roll and what exactly it means (sex). Lennon decides to start his first rock band called The Quarrymen. As the band starts to actually get good, his life begins to change dramatically again, and I'm not talking about him meeting George Harrison and Paul McCartney for the first time.

Aaron Johnson was terrific as Lennon. As much as I love movies, and try to find out about them, I had no idea he was British in real life. He hid it so well in Kick-Ass. Duff and Thomas were great as Lennon's influences. I may go so far as to say any of them could have gotten an Oscar nod. The movie didn't delve into the music as much as I would've liked, but the relationships developed made it worthwhile. Grade: B+

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