This film really took me by surprise I thought it would be a simple film about john lennon before he joined the beatles. Which at it’s heart it basically is but it is also much more.
The film tells it’s story but also finds a way to do it artistically but not in a over the top or obvious way. At times the story gets a bit uncomfortable as it seems at times when John is around his mother and they are alone it seems like he more or less has a crush on her and that they are in love. instead of just mother and son reuniting. It even plays out as jealousy when she shows sympathy to Paul whose mother died a year ago.
We get to see john’s first meetings with Paul McCartney and George Harrison and the gestation of the first band they formed the quarrymen. The Ed of the film shows him going off with the band which will be the beginning of his stardom. The film runs an emotional gambit and really comes together to tell a emotional story that would have been a fine film on it’s own it just is magnified due to the fact that it is the story of a legend. The film is entertaining and will appeal to most audiences. You don’t have to be a beatles fan to be taken away with the story though they may enjoy it better.
The film starts slow but picks up it’s energy once John meets his birth mother after growing up with his aunt and uncle. Once he does his rebelious nature is encouraged by his mother where as his aunt feels like she is losing him to her and decides to fight to get him back. Basically tearing john into two camps, both of which he loves but feels pressured to choose one or the other. The film does offer surprises to which shocked me but felt natural and not sensationalistic.
Aaron Johnson impresses in his performance he is goofy, vulnerable, charming and charismatic all at the same time. This is more of a star making performance then his role in KICK-ASS. He shows great range and I predict big things for him in the future. He is lovingly photographed and bathed in golden hues by the director Sam Taylor Wood who is also the mother of his child in real life.
One thing the film also managed to do is show a excitement in it’s one erotic scene by now we have seen plenty of sex scenes on film. So now a days directors need to find a way to present intimate scenes in different ways without going the full on porn route. In this film it manages to be graphic yet in it’s own way innocent. it is still a bit shocking but I’m glad the film showed something natural happening instead of it being sensationalized or there to show how cool or studly john is with the ladies. It’s not there to take anything away from the rest of the movie just a natural occurance which encourages his character in his pursuits.
Worth a look