Roll With It
Saturday March 26, 2011 in 2011 cinema |
I approached Richard Ayoade’s Submarine a little cautiously; it’s a film that’s received a hell of a lot of praise and I was concerned that I’d be disappointed. Quite often with acclaimed films I feel there’s something missing from the experience because I just want to like them too much. But honestly I believe that the film lives up to the jubilation surrounding it. This is an outstanding debut feature for its director, an at times hilarious but ultimately moving film. And a cracking soundtrack from Alex Turner too.
Submarine is set in the 1980s. But unlike other postwar period British movies, it doesn’t wallow in the fake detail (Rick Gervais’ Cemetery Junction springs to mind as a recent example of overdoing a setting – the 70s in this case). I date Submarine at about 1987. But only because it features a fleeting reference to Crocodile Dundee. Otherwise there are only subtle clues such the lack of mobile phones (real letters are exchanged here). And we’re thankfully spared the pop soundtrack to accompany the era, where Turner’s touching acoustic melodies come to the rescue.
Craig Roberts plays Oliver Tate, an adolescent schoolboy in Wales. Oliver is by far the best character in the film, but first some background. His father is an ex Open University lecturer, a near hopeless case who lost his tv job for not knowing what to do with his hands. Noah Taylor plays Dad, a thin, heavily bearded, deep thinking individual prone to depression. Meanwhile Mum (Sally Hawkins) wearily dreams of the past, even though it only appears to consist of a time when her hair was longer, that is until ex flame Graham turns up. Graham is played by Paddy Considine, who adds his usual intensity to the role – although lacking the element of terrifying danger that accompanies his parts in Shane Meadows films. Badly bearded with a serious mullet, Graham is a new age guru who speaks nonsense at the local church hall. He’s even produced an unintentionally side splitting video. Despite Graham being so absurd, Mum – fed up with the straight laced world – may be falling for him again.
Oliver has issues of his own though. A dreamer in the line of cinema that can be traced back to Billy Liar, he begins by narrating an amusing sequence where he visualises the stunned and tearful reaction to his own death, starting with his class and ultimately encompassing the whole of Wales. This is one of the assets of Submarine, which is a film that will suddenly pull in unusual directions. Oliver’s keen to lose his virginity, and sets his sights on classmate Jordana (Yasmin Paige). She’s scary, always clad in a red coat and has a fondness for lighting fires. She’s also part of the bullying crowd, and Oliver gets drawn into this to woo her. Their courtship is touching and original, a sharp script and fine performances from Roberts and Paige. Roberts in particular, an actor who only recently came into my radar with his role in Being Human, is exceptional. And none of the characters in Submarine are particularly attractive or likeable, at least not when you meet them first, but they’re arguably very real. And I found I just had to go along with Oliver’s absurd view of reality, such as his far from flawless plan to get Jordana into bed.
So yes – a marvellous little film. Roberts aside, Noah Taylor is also excellent – although to be fair the entire cast excel. Steffan Rhodri and Melanie Walters are also great in smaller roles (Walters appeared also with Roberts in Being Human). But perhaps the true find is Richard Ayoade, who has suddenly gone from geeky star of The IT Crowd to emerge as one of the most promising new British film directors in recent years. Wow.