Absolute Beginners (1986)
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86% of critics liked it
(7 reviews) -
33% of users liked it
(3,171 ratings)
The rise of teen culture in 1950s Britain provides the backdrop for Julien Temple's unconventional rock musical Absolute Beginners. The film centers on Colin, an 18-year-old with a talent for photography and a fondness for the neon nightlife of British jazz clubs. He also is in love with Crepe… More The rise of teen culture in 1950s Britain provides the backdrop for Julien Temple's unconventional rock musical Absolute Beginners. The film centers on Colin, an 18-year-old with a talent for photography and a fondness for the neon nightlife of British jazz clubs. He also is in love with Crepe Suzette, an impulsive, ambitious young beauty who abandons him after attracting the attention of a powerful fashion designer. Depressed and aimless, Colin turns for help to a flashy ad executive (David Bowie) who promises to make him a star photographer. The former lovers take parallel paths to success, capitalizing on the youth mania gripping the nation. The film's nostalgic yet gently satirical look at teen culture is tempered by a recognition of the era's social tension, particularly a disturbing rise in racism. Despite these serious undertones, however, the film tells its story with a colorful vibrancy reminiscent of both MTV and old Hollywood musicals, filled with such show-stopping numbers as a memorable sequence in which Bowie dances on a giant typewriter. Critical reception was mixed, with some hailing the film's spectacular cinematography and ambitious scope, while others found the mixture of tones and style too inconsistent. The film also drew lukewarm response at the box office, with the memorable soundtrack receiving more attention than the film itself. ~ Judd Blaise, Rovi
- Directed By
- Julien Temple
- Written By
- Colin MacInnes, Richard Burridge, Michael Hamlyn
- Genres
- Drama, Musical & Performing Arts, Art House & International, Science Fiction & Fantasy, Cult Movies
- In Theaters
- Apr 18, 1986 Wide
- Studio
- HBO Video
Critic Reviews
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Thomas Caldwell, Cinema Autopsy
Absolute Beginners is a film worth revisiting for its inventiveness and audacity.
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Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com
Though the film is flawed, it's still underrated as an exploration of a crucial era of London's pop culture, and the eccentric cast (including David Bowie) adds a lot of color.
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Ken Hanke, Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)
More interesting for what it attempts than for what it accomplishes.
See more critic ratings and reviews on Rotten Tomatoes
Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)
Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)
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Cast
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Eddie O'Connell
as Colin
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Patsy Kensit
as Crepe Suzette
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David Bowie
as Vendice Partners
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James Fox
as Henley of Mayfair
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Ray Davies
as Arthur
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Steven Berkoff
as The Fanatic
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Eve Ferret
as Big Jill
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Anita Morris
as Dido Lament
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Lionel Blair
as Harry Charms
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Mandy Rice-Davies
as Mum
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Tenpole Tudor
as Ed the Ted
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Tony Hippolyte
as Mr. Cool
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Chris Pitt
as Baby Boom
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Paul Rhys
as Dean Swift
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Julian Firth
as The Misery Kid
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Ronald Fraser
as Amberly Drove
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Irene Handl
as Mrs. Larkin
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Sylvia Syms
as Cynthia Eve
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Peter-Hugo Daly
as Vern
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Johnny Shannon
as Saltzman
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Amanda Jane Powell
as Dorita
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Robbie Coltrane
as Mario
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Robert Austin
as Slim Brother
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Jess Conrad
as Cappuccino Man
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Graham Fletcher-Cook
as Wizard
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Jim Dunk
as Slim Brother
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Alan Freeman
as Call-Me-Cobber
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Astley Harvey
as Mr. Cool Sr.
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Colin Jeavons
as Pamphleteer
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Joe McKenna
as Fabulous Hoplite
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Bruce Payne
as Flicker
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Ekow Abban
as Santa Lucia Club Owner
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Sade
as Athene Duncannon
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Smiley Culture
as D.J. Entertainer
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Slim Gaillard
as Party Singer
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Pat Hartley
as Ms. Cool Sr.
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Gerry Alexander
as Ton-Up Vicar
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Gary Beadle
as Johnny Wonder
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Johnny Edge
as Trader Horn
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Carmen Ejogo
as Carmen
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Paul Fairminer
as Eddie Sex
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Hugo First
as Maltese Lodger
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G.B.
as Zoot
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Alfred Maron
as Bert the Tailor
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Sandie Shaw
as Baby Boom's Mum
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Bruno Tonioli
as Maltese Lodger
- Mary Selway
- Susie Figgis
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Zoot Money
as Chez Nobody Barman
