Nowhere Boy

Deb 8 Me 7

First off, there was a huge line at the theater. I was sure all these young people were here to see this tribute to John Lennon’s youth. We got in the theater, there were two other couples and one guy dragged in after the movie started. That was it, a total of seven people there on opening Friday night. The mob was there to see Jackass 3D ..enough commentary on the times we live in.

I think a lot of people my age have a general awareness of the lives of the fab four, certainly a grasp on their lives as Beatles and after. This is a pretty solid look at the care and feeding of John Lennon in the early days, from conception all the way up to going to Hamburg. It’s a well told story, slow, but forever interesting. It’s an English flick, the accents are authentic and the acting is great. They actually shot it in Liverpool and it is apparently endorsed by Yoko. If you accept the story as true, it is quite informative (and knowing what lies ahead), quite engaging.

The movie left us with several unanswered questions. Some of the ancillary players were confusing, his college days were indicated by no more than two sentences; there is some room for criticism. We both felt the “toughness” of Lennon was underplayed and I wondered where his famous humor was. Something I would like to see developed in a film (about someone) is an examination of creativity. You know, how its developed or discovered, how the artist controls it or succumbs to it, its role in basic life, does it come into play only while generating art or does it pop up while brushing your teeth. I'm sure everyone has a different story and it's really the foundation for success; but neglected in every bio-pic I've ever seen.

Overall this was an enjoyable and informative feature.