Genres

Visitors Review

annog 2012-05-17 11:51:56

Lennon Would Have Despised It.

Nowhere Boy is a chick flick running on syrupy emotions and NationalEnquirer sentiment.To accomplish that the film makers forsook the truthand vomit on any real chance of knowing the young Lennon.There are so many inaccuracies, but the real offensive is thedeliberate will to mislead and create a sappy boy-band character thatJohn Lennon is well documented to have despised.Only a fool would believe that John played his first gig on a truck bedand the band is tight, polished and professional.The Beatles were onlyso after years of playing in Berlin. Even the earliest live Beatlesrecordings are much more crude and rough.Lennon hardly spent any time with Julia, and she damn sure did notteach him to play the banjo,day after day. John Lennon would have been quite disgusted with this movie. I turnedoff after giving it an hour or so.

2012-05-16 14:50:21

One of my favorite movies!

This review is from: Nowhere Boy (DVD) Nowhere Boy is a great movie. I am a HUGE Beatles fan, and love watching movies that involve them. Great story. :)

2012-05-16 18:20:03

Nowhere boy

This review is from: Nowhere Boy (DVD) The movie was a good Illustration of John Lennon growing up.I felt the movie was just getting good and it ended.

Robert Levin 2012-05-16 00:25:10

Well-crafted and acted (especially by Aaron Johnson), it hits the biographical notes but misses its subject?s soul.

2012-05-13 17:57:20

One of the worst movies I ever saw.

This review is from: Nowhere Boy (DVD) I am a huge John Lennon fan and was so looking forward to the release of this movie. From everything I know about John for the last 35 years, I'm not sure if this movie was even about John's early life. The actor that played Paul made him look like he was 10 years old. It was just terrible. It was just a bad movie all around.

2012-05-13 14:02:15

Awful...

There are so many inaccuracies in this movie it's ridiculous. I saw it early last year and spent most of it wanting to throw something at the screen. Save your money...

Robert W. Butler 2012-05-05 17:49:24

The real subjects -- and strengths -- in this narrowly focused biopic are the two women who, more than any one else, were responsible for molding the future star's psyche.

Philip Kemp 2012-05-05 05:29:13

No surprises in this account of the troubled pre-Beatles adolescence of John Lennon, but sharp scripting and a pair of outstanding performances lift it out of routine biopic territory.

2012-05-03 09:32:29

Come to life

This review is from: Nowhere Boy (DVD) The other positive reviewers have already described in detail the great acting, marvelous script, etc. What left the most impact on me though happened rather early in the film. There is a shot of the Quarrymen playing on the stage at the Woolton fete on the day that John and Paul would meet. I can hardly remember a time when the iconic photo the scene depicts of young John Lennon with his mates, so seriously playing his guitar and wearing that plaid-looking shirt was not in my consciousness. To see that picture come to life in front of me literally took my breath away.

Liz Braun 2012-05-02 20:10:37

Whether you know a little or a lot (or even nothing) about John Lennon's background, Nowhere Boy is a keeper.

Keith Phipps 2012-04-29 18:04:05

Nowhere Boy is modest in scope and more rewarding for it, highlighted by particularly strong performances by Thomas and Johnson, and a keen sense of time and place.

Matthew Turner 2012-04-28 18:50:56

Nowhere Boy is a hugely enjoyable, emotionally engaging and superbly acted biopic that marks Sam Taylor-Wood out as a director to watch.

Marshall Fine 2012-04-26 23:23:50

We see glimmers of the rock-star-to-be, thanks to the sly exuberance of Johnson's performance...if the character wasn't Lennon, would anyone be interested? Hard to imagine.

SkovPudhandle 2012-04-26 14:24:50

Watch WALK THE LINE, it's pretty much the same film except it's good.

This was is one of the most confounding pieces of screen writing that Ihave ever experienced. Here is a movie built on the idea of a man whohas the most phenomenal affliction in human history and he issurrounded by characters who treat his condition as if it were a newfab haircut. I was also put off by the film's pacing, Sam Taylor-Wood(a director who's work I usually admire) drives this movie so slowlythat I felt as if I were experiencing Lennon's life in real time. Ithink my wife had the best observation: "Would Lennon have been of anyinterest if he didn't have his place with the Beatles?" Let's face it.The post Beatles solo careers after the break up pretty much bears thatone out. At least Ringo had a part in the 1988 comedy "CAVEMAN".

Tony Macklin 2012-04-21 10:32:14

Nowhere Boy goes somewhere, but it's not into art. Yoko Ono has okayed the movie, but I think John Lennon would sneer at it.

John Beifuss 2012-04-20 23:26:36

In this surprisingly conventional biopic, the unremarkable young John Lennon seems as likely to become Peter Noone or Gerry Marsden as the second coming of Elvis.

Hellmant 2012-04-20 04:38:52

'NOWHERE BOY' goes nowhere!

'NOWHERE BOY': Three Stars (Out of Five) Biopic on the early teen years of John Lennon's life, centering mostlyon his relationship with his mother and aunt. The film is directed byfirst time feature film director Sam Taylor-Wood and written by MattGreenhalgh (who also wrote the biopic on Ian Curtis, singer for theband Joy Division). It's based on the memoir by John Lennon's sisterJulia Baird. It stars Kristin Scott Thomas, Anne-Marie Duff and'KICK-ASS's Aaron Johnson as John.The film takes place when Lennon was a teen in the late 50's. Itfocuses somewhat on his musical aspirations and his first band 'TheQuarrymen', which later evolved into 'The Beatles', and is highlightedby his first meetings with Paul McCartney (Thomas Brodie Sangster) andGeorge Harrison (Sam Bell). The film primarily centers on his familyrelations with his Aunt Mimi (Thomas) and mother Julia (Duff) though.The film claims he didn't meet his mother until he was a teenager andknew very little about her but I've heard expert's (at least selfproclaimed) comments which say the contrary and find many otherinaccuracies in the film.Despite the fact that the movie might be mainly fictionalized I didn'tfind it to be that entertaining or inspiring anyway. Johnson is greatin the lead role and the supporting cast is all more than adequate aswell but the directing is amateurish and the writing doesn't feel heartfelt. The music is great though and if you're a fan of The Beatles it'sprobably worth your curiosity but that might be the only real reason.My three star rating might be a little generous but I'm going to stickwith it, the film definitely has moments.Watch our movie review show 'MOVIE TALK' at:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5YDpWRaEnYQ

2012-04-19 15:35:39

Character piece that fails to deliver.

This review is from: Nowhere Boy (Amazon Instant Video) You might think that a cinematic piece featuring one of music biggest icons has nothing but good material to capture you for over 90 mins. Unfortunately this is no the case. While the film is executed with great craft it looses steam pretty quickly. Instead of developing the Lennon character right away the story indulges on telling the story of people around Lennon, taking away from the protagonist. The film delivers some characteristics of the Lennon we know far too late and far too little. I learned nothing new about his character of the history around it other than the melodramatic nuances of his life. I really wanted to love this film. I can't say that I dislike it, but can't say I can and for that it deserves the one star.

2012-04-19 08:53:10

Dealt A Tragic Hand, the Power of Forgiveness and Family Redeems

I didn't think I would like this film and, at times, it was hard to watch.We all know how it ultimately ends, with John Lennon being shot by a crazed fan, the poet singer that was the voice of a generation suddenly extinguished. A sad symbol of "what never was or would be again" to tens of millions of Baby Boomers who danced, laughed, and listed intently to the music of The Beatles.For me, that gave me pause to watch the film but was still drawn to taking a glimpse of this superstar's teen years. What I got was more than I could have ever expected.His Aunt Mimi is hard to like - she's cold, distant, and has an emotional wall up around her that would make the Great Wall of China seem pale in comparison. She is an unlovable character but, for a boy like John, the symbol of the Prison Guard who sets boundaries on his wild, adventurous character.After his beloved Uncle dies suddenly (and who was the also the warm loving friend that John had while living in Mimi's household), he catches a glimpse of a woman at the funeral who he later finds out is his real mother. Sadly, he comes to find out that she lives within walking distance from him complete with a new family yet never reached out to him.She is obviously not "all there" and is a childish, immature woman who is more like John and his teenage friends versus a mature, functional adult. She is unrestricted, the Child Ego Incarnate who only thinks of her own gratification, never considering the affect she had on her abandoned son.At first, everything goes well after being reunited with his real mother who introduces him to Rock 'N Roll and teaches him music on a banjo while staying at her home.As John forms his band, I was surprised to see the rest of the legendary Beatles members show up - Paul McCartney and George Harrison. Personally, I was surprised to realize that they went back that far and, knowing so now, it made me appreciate them so much more. As time goes by, though, strain begins to form and cracks appear.The rage at being abandoned by his mother, Mimi's repressive behavior, and being haunted by dreams he doesn't understand begin to take their toll on John as the angst of teenage years begins to set in and, finally, the truth behind his abandonment, including the answers to the dreams that have plagued him since he was a child.Mimi suddenly becomes more lovable after this chain of events as the light of their past begins to cast down, revealing the true nobility of his beloved aunt's character. As for his mother, her shine becomes more tarnished yet the power of forgiveness comes from within John's own shattered heart to heal his family. For me, this resonated deep within me because it revealed what power his own troubled spirit brought forth when the adults around him could not find it within their capacity to forgive each other or themselves - the love of a child heals this family rather than the adults themselves.Sadly, more tragedy followed but his mates pulled together around him and his bonds with Mimi deepened which I think saved John Lennon so that he could share his gifts with the rest of us.The ending of the film, as the credits rolled, was beautiful.In my opinion, it was the best part of the film and my wife, who is not a music fan but values family and friendship above all things, cried openly.I won't tell you what it was because I don't want to lessen the impact it could have on you but I would highly recommend that watch this story of family.Anybody who has dealt a harsh hand in life but has still got a family that loves them (no matter how imperfect or crazy they can be) and sees them through it can consider themselves richly blessed.This movie helps affirm that.

Giles Hardie 2012-04-18 17:50:33

Setting a cracking pace, Nowhere Boy is a joyful journey into the power of personality, the finding of friends and the start of an amazing life, and to top it off, is one of the best films of the year to boot.