Nowhere Boy

 

Sam Taylor-Wood establishes herself as a capable director with Nowhere Boy, her debut feature charting the domestic turmoil that plagues a teenage John Lennon (Aaron Johnson). Brought up by his stern aunt Mimi (expertly played by Kristin Scott Thomas), John is reunited with his absent mother Julia (Anne-Marie Duff) after the death of his Uncle. Attracted to Julia’s vivacious personality he increasingly chooses to spend time with her, which leads to rising tensions with his aunt. Johnson is a charismatic onscreen presence and manages to capture the changeable character of a cocky yet troubled Lennon. The colourful recreation of post-war Liverpool is also to be commended. However viewers expecting Taylor-Wood to utilise her background as a conceptual artist may be disappointed – this is as straight down the line as biopics come. And despite being penned by the same screenwriter of that other recent musical biopic Control, Nowhere Boy doesn't achieve quite the same emotional resonance. [Gail Tolley]