Nowhere Boy (2010)

Featured Audience Ratings

• Daniel P

  
  Good performance by Aaron Johnson - capturing the Lennon spirit without really looking like him at all - and, (of course), a great one from Kristin Scott Thomas, but otherwise, the film's rather dull. It's almost too thorough, and it comes out more precious and… More
  Good performance by Aaron Johnson - capturing the Lennon spirit without really looking like him at all - and, (of course), a great one from Kristin Scott Thomas, but otherwise, the film's rather dull. It's almost too thorough, and it comes out more precious and hero-worshipping than it does hard-hitting. Lennon's boyhood doesn't seem so tough, frankly, and unlike a lot of great musician biopics, we don't see the life channel into the music; we come to understand more about the man, but not much more about his art. The result? A fairly boring letdown.

• Sophie B

  
  An interesting but unfocused look into John Lennon's teen years which introduced us to the formation of the Beatles (sans Ringo) and gave us an idea of his mentality and were his lyrics came from. I do feel however that it's not the most interesting part of his life which is… More
  An interesting but unfocused look into John Lennon's teen years which introduced us to the formation of the Beatles (sans Ringo) and gave us an idea of his mentality and were his lyrics came from. I do feel however that it's not the most interesting part of his life which is why I haven't rated it so well. It's not as focused as it could have been and tries to cover a lot in such a small amount of time.

• Melvin W

  
  John: Why couldn't God make me Elvis?  Julia: 'Cause he was saving you for John Lennon. "The Extraordinary Story of John Lennon." Nowhere Boy chronicles the teenage years of John Lennon. The movie is a family drama and isn't about Lennon and The Beatles. The… More
  John: Why couldn't God make me Elvis?  Julia: 'Cause he was saving you for John Lennon. "The Extraordinary Story of John Lennon." Nowhere Boy chronicles the teenage years of John Lennon. The movie is a family drama and isn't about Lennon and The Beatles. The movie does show how The Beatles was formed to some degree, but that isn't the intent of the film. I knew the story before hand, so nothing from it came as a surprise, but it was a well made and acted film.  After a slow first twenty minutes, the movie really finds its pace and began to be the movie I hoped it would be. Lennon fans should be happy with this, as it does do a good job showing all of the family issues he grew up with and how it made him the guy everyone knows. People who go into this expecting anything more than just a family drama will be extremely disappointed though. If the thought of watching Lennon fight with his aunt, smoke cigarettes and try to get closer to his mom doesn't excite you; you aren't the only one. I would just suggest not watching it. If you are a fan of films that explore family relationships and how they affect the people involved, Nowhere Boy is a great example of one. If there's just one reason to watch this movie though, it would be Aaron Johnson. When I initially saw that he was playing I was a little hesitant about it. I loved his performance in KickAss so much, I guess I thought he couldn't do anything more than that. He shows a lot of range with going from KickAss to Nowhere Boy. He goes from geek to the coolest guy alive, and he does it with ease. He looks the part and he definitely struts the part. The most important thing you need to know about the film is to not give up on it early on. After the first 15 minutes or so, I didn't think I was going to like it at all. Don't worry, it picks up and does become the movie you expected.

• paul s

  
  As I watched "Nowhere Boy", the more or less true story of a pre-Beatles John Lennon, I couldn't help but wonder if the story would have been as interesting if the subject had been Joe Nobody. Surely the story does have merit; a rebellious 16 year old Liverpudlian… More
  As I watched "Nowhere Boy", the more or less true story of a pre-Beatles John Lennon, I couldn't help but wonder if the story would have been as interesting if the subject had been Joe Nobody. Surely the story does have merit; a rebellious 16 year old Liverpudlian who lives with his aunt and uncle finds out that his mother has been living in his same neighborhood for the last 10 years. As he reconnects with his mum, it causes uncertainty and tension, especially as he begins to wonder why he's been living with Auntie when his mum lives just down the street. Sounds good, but throw in the fact that it's John Freakin' Lennon, and the story gets some added cred - especially in the scenes where his mum teaches him to play the banjo (hmm, so this is where the talent came from), or introduces him to early rock and roll. Add the scenes where John puts together his first band "The Quarrymen" and the nice little introduction/audition by some snot nosed 15 year old named Paul, and you've got much more to chew on. The acting throughout is solid, especially that of Kristen Scott-Thomas as Auntie Mimi, the stern, rigid caregiver who seems so stiff-upper-lip cold, which allows her to emote great significance with little more than a nod or a soothing hand on the shoulder. The scene where "what really happened" is revealed is especially poignant, and Thomas commands the scene as easily as she commanded her household. The script does a nice job of inferring things - offering you glimpses that say more than just laying everything out in black and white. The budding relationship between John and Paul is obvious, but you don't get hit over the head with it - which makes for a nice scene where John lashes out in anger at the rest of the band, resorting to fisticuffs, and then Paul looks him square in the eye and asks "what, you want to hit me too?" There is plenty of rock and roll on display here, from Eddie Cochran's 20 Flight Rock (Paul's audition song), to vintage footage of a young Elvis and a rather comic scene where John gets a hold of Howling Wolf's "I Put A Spell On You". I rather liked hearing that classic song sounding so clear and pristine, but with some of the other songs, the overly compressed, digitized recordings played false with the period of the film - I almost wished for a scratchy, mono recording instead. In all, if you are a Beatles fan, this is an interesting part of the film canon (not quite the excellent Backbeat) - otherwise, there's still enough meat here to enjoy as a look into a time and place (1960 English working towns).

• Cynthia S

  
  Fantastic movie! A wonderful biopic about John Lennon as a teen, and how the relationships with his mother, and aunt, impacted his development as a musician. Lots of actual early pics at the end of this movie really made this extra enjoyable. Kudos!

• Anthony L

  
  Nowhere Boy is an interesting insight into the childhood of John Lennon. It wasn't a story I was aware of, Beetle/Lennon fans probably were but I think there is something for everyone here. You can really see how the two authoritative women in his upbringing influenced him and… More
  Nowhere Boy is an interesting insight into the childhood of John Lennon. It wasn't a story I was aware of, Beetle/Lennon fans probably were but I think there is something for everyone here. You can really see how the two authoritative women in his upbringing influenced him and made him the man he was. Both roles played very well by Kristin Scott Thomas and Anne-Marie Duff. It was nice to see the visualisation of John meeting Paul and George too, I have no idea how accurate it is though but I enjoyed it all the same. Seeing my favourite and local cinema, East Finchley's Phoenix, featured was an added bonus (not all filmed in Liverpool then!)

• Dean M

  
  Poignant and powerful! From the heart lifting opener to the heart wrenching final <i>Nowhere Boy</i> is an absolute joy. Before being <i>Kick-Ass</i>, likely Aaron Johnson took on another challenging "superhero" of even scarier proportions - John… More
  Poignant and powerful! From the heart lifting opener to the heart wrenching final <i>Nowhere Boy</i> is an absolute joy. Before being <i>Kick-Ass</i>, likely Aaron Johnson took on another challenging "superhero" of even scarier proportions - John Lennon. Similar in approach to <i>Coco Avant Chanel</i> and <i>My Brother, Bruce Lee</i>, <i>Nowhere Boy</i> presents a respectful yet robust look at a pop culture icon before he became bigger than yellow submarines. Based on a contentious memoir written by Lennon's half sister, this portrait of the artist as a teen scouser experimenting with greasy haircuts, unknown futures and rock'n'roll's sexier dimensions feels more lived-in than many other starchy biopics. British artist-turned-director Sam Taylor Wood (real-life Johnson's fiancée) uses period detail for engagement rather than show, and the central thrust of junior Lennon being torn between his free-wheelin' ma (beauty Anne-Marie Duff) and guardian aunt (Kristin Scott Thomas, superb) actually has legs as formative drama, not merely as fodder for a quiz night. How accurate it all is plays second fiddle to creative reflection, the balance of Beatles' titbits and boy-man issues feeding well into an over-exposed legend. Surrounded by powerful, gracious women who let their leading man retain centre stage, Johnson's renegade pulse is never faked. Star is born.

• Coxxie M

  
  Frankly, i don't give two dogshits for any part of John Lennon's pre-beatle life.

• Shawn E

  
  A film about the early days of John Lennon's life before his career takes off. Although there is no Beatles, there is much to learn about the struggles of Lennon's life that to most people are unaware of. The acting is also brilliant and probably the best I have seen from… More
  A film about the early days of John Lennon's life before his career takes off. Although there is no Beatles, there is much to learn about the struggles of Lennon's life that to most people are unaware of. The acting is also brilliant and probably the best I have seen from Aaron Johnson.

• jay n

  
  Okay drama of John Lennon's mixed up early life is distinguished by an exemplary turn from Kristin Scott Thomas as his stern but caring Aunt MiMi.

• Thomas J

  
  I was surprised how much I liked this movie! I am that guy... you know the oddball that was never a big Beatles fan. But seeing the back-story of John Lennon makes him and the Beatles much more interesting to me now. I am now a Lennon fan like "Walk the Line" made me love… More
  I was surprised how much I liked this movie! I am that guy... you know the oddball that was never a big Beatles fan. But seeing the back-story of John Lennon makes him and the Beatles much more interesting to me now. I am now a Lennon fan like "Walk the Line" made me love Johnny Cash even more! It's good to see larger than life characters were at some point typical and had lives similar enough I can relate to!

• Aaron N

  
  John: Why couldn't God make me Elvis? Julia: 'Cause he was saving you for John Lennon! Nowhere Boy is a fine drama about a look at the teen years of future music phenomenon, John Lennon. Wisely, beyond many visual and story related hints, the film is not about the… More
  John: Why couldn't God make me Elvis? Julia: 'Cause he was saving you for John Lennon! Nowhere Boy is a fine drama about a look at the teen years of future music phenomenon, John Lennon. Wisely, beyond many visual and story related hints, the film is not about the creation of The Beatles, nor does the film even mention that group name at any point. Instead, it is more of an emotional journey for Lennon, as he deals with issues surrounding his family. The film does also get into his development as a musician as well. Overall, this is a solid film, featuring some strong lead performances. Read more at: Thecodeiszeek.blogspot.com

• Jake .

  
  I hadn't really expected much from "Nowhere Boy" seeing as the release had been moved around so much and there really hadn't been much hype. Biopics are also very hit-or-miss to me and for whatever reason this just didn't seem like it would be that… More
  I hadn't really expected much from "Nowhere Boy" seeing as the release had been moved around so much and there really hadn't been much hype. Biopics are also very hit-or-miss to me and for whatever reason this just didn't seem like it would be that interesting. However, on all accounts, these would be misperceptions. Granted, the film doesn't scream 'The BEATLES', for that look to Across the Universe, but it does give us an intimate and incredibly affecting look into John Lennon's early years. There are quite a few light and coy moments, but most of the material is incredibly tragic and sad. Even a lot of the lighter moments are tinged with a kind of melancholy and awkwardness. Lennon came from troubled, at times dysfunctional roots. Perhaps those are the very things that allowed him to become the musician we revere today.

• ♥˩ƳИИ &

  
  Cast: Aaron Johnson, Thomas Sangster, Kristin Scott Thomas, Anne-Marie Duff, David Morrissey, Ophelia Lovibond, Josh Bolt, Sam Bell, Andrew Buchan Director: Sam Taylor Wood Summary: Raised by his aunt Mimi (Kristin Scott Thomas) since he was a young boy, charismatic 15-year-old… More
  Cast: Aaron Johnson, Thomas Sangster, Kristin Scott Thomas, Anne-Marie Duff, David Morrissey, Ophelia Lovibond, Josh Bolt, Sam Bell, Andrew Buchan Director: Sam Taylor Wood Summary: Raised by his aunt Mimi (Kristin Scott Thomas) since he was a young boy, charismatic 15-year-old John Lennon (Aaron Johnson) is suddenly reunited with his mother, Julia (Anne-Marie Duff), which ignites a bitter battle between the two sisters for John's affections. Along the way, John inherits his mother's love of music and befriends fellow Liverpool lad Paul McCartney (Thomas Sangster) in this biopic of the music icon's formative years. My Thoughts: "I enjoyed this film much more then I had expected. Some didn't like that it wasn't about the start of 'The Beatles', I on the other hand enjoyed that fact. I found John's teenage years story to be very interesting and a bit sad. The abandonment he felt by his parents, the loss he suffers was all very emotional, and I think Aaron Johnson did a fantastic job. Actually the acting by all was pretty great. Anne-Marie Duff was spot on as the mother as was Kristen Scott Thomas as Aunt MImi. I am not sure if their is any truth to the this story of John Lennon's early year's, but even if not, the story is great on it's own. Great music in this film as well. So you get great acting, great music, and great directing which makes this film a must see for fan's of his or just for those who want to see a great film."

• Conner R

  
  I'll give it to Aaron Johnson, he gives a great performance as John Lennon. While I don't think this is all that great in terms of original storytelling, it's a movie made for Beatles lovers. At least it's harmless in its execution, the movie is incredibly easy to… More
  I'll give it to Aaron Johnson, he gives a great performance as John Lennon. While I don't think this is all that great in terms of original storytelling, it's a movie made for Beatles lovers. At least it's harmless in its execution, the movie is incredibly easy to watch. I feel like they could have done something a lot more interesting and original, rather that telling the whole coming of age story.

• MisterYoda ?

  
  three stars and a half...

• Alireza M

  
  The only intresting parts of movie were the sequences which were about Beatles activities ,their singing on stage and their relationship.But almost the entire movie is focused on John Lennon's relatioship with his mother that i doubt if anyone cares about.But its not satisfying… More
  The only intresting parts of movie were the sequences which were about Beatles activities ,their singing on stage and their relationship.But almost the entire movie is focused on John Lennon's relatioship with his mother that i doubt if anyone cares about.But its not satisfying in that part either.Overall as a movie about John Lennon's life it was too short, incomplete and disappointing.

• First L

  
  Hollywood has been dramatizing the lives of famous musicians almost from its very beginning. From the Al Jolson Story to the Benny Goodman Story to the Buddy Holly Story to Walk The Line, and no group has been represented more in film than the Beatles. Based on the memoirs of… More
  Hollywood has been dramatizing the lives of famous musicians almost from its very beginning. From the Al Jolson Story to the Benny Goodman Story to the Buddy Holly Story to Walk The Line, and no group has been represented more in film than the Beatles. Based on the memoirs of Lennon's half-sister Julia, it's one of the more unromanticized and factual movies of its kind, covering his life from ages 14 to 17 (approximately), and focusing on his relationship with his estranged mother and the aunt who raised him (Beatle fans looking to see yet another re-telling of how the group got together may be disappointed, as there's little screen time devoted to the fab four). What shaped the adolescence of the man who would go onto found the biggest musical group of all time? Aaron Johnson ("Kick Ass") plays the John Lennon character much the way every expert Beatles fan would expect: part wise-ass hoodlum, part sensitive artist, and most of the time both sides are colliding simultaneously in a way that conflicts and confuses the "nowhere boy". Bob Dylan once said after reading a wildly exaggerated article about himself in the newspaper, "I'm sure glad I'm not me". The teenaged Lennon doesn't seem to know who he is or what he wants, it's as if he's trapped in a performance, always trying to please his audience. Part of his acting out might've been seeking the attention of his aloof aunt Mimi, or maybe it was just A.D.D., the movie hints at both possibilities. When one day his free-spirited mother comes back into his life, it seems to correspond with his discovery of rock-n-roll music. It's here the die has been cast and his fate is finally sealed. After watching a newsreel, John asks his mother "Why couldn't God have made ME Elvis Presley?", to which his mother responds "Because he was saving you for John Lennon". Sure, it's a little bit cheesy (and the movie at times can't help itself), but it certainly doesn't seem outside the realm of possibility for her to have said it. The relationship between the two sometimes hints at oedipal, but it does so gently, so as not to offend the beatlemaniacs too much. One thing Nowhere Boy does extremely well is show the humble origins of greatness. It's hard to believe, amongst all the ridiculous 50s pompadours (so accurately re-created) and smoking teens, that this barely-able-to-play band would go onto become the Beatles, but it most likely all had to start in some such fashion. It's hard to say whether youth creates culture or culture creates youth, but so many kids of the late 50s got their behavior and concept of "cool" from the movies (every kid is doing his best James Dean or Marlon Brando imitation). Nowhere Boy nails this youthful longing to have an identity, even if it's one the kids co-opted from hollywood back in the day. It reminds me of the days of 'gangsta rap' from the early 90s, where everyone was from the hood. Everyone wants to be a somebody. It's hard to draw a distinction between "Nowhere Boy" the film and the actual life of John Lennon, and this is probably a good sign the film is a great biography. Rather than deify the Lennon legend, it tries to create the story of an actual flawed human being. While the music might not be given the recognition it deserves (Lennon seems to come to music as a means of meeting girls, something that seems highly dubious, given his dedication to it), it is in the end what gives it all meaning. Would John Lennon with a more idyllic childhood have gone onto create the Beatles, or would the world have simply gained another draftsman or dock worker? If ritalin had been around in the 1950s, would he have grown up to be just another good citizen, rather than some rock-n-roll scalliwag? Fate decrees things for some. A sheltered life doesn't necessarily mean a happy life, and a happy life doesn't necessarily lead to greatness. Lennon's early tumult lead to musical creations so wonderful, they still change lives 40-some years later.

• Lorenzo v

  
  <i>"There's just no point hating someone you love."</i> A chronicle of John Lennon's childhood. <center><font size=+2 face="Century Schoolbook"><b><u>REVIEW</u></b></font></center> This biopic… More
  <i>"There's just no point hating someone you love."</i> A chronicle of John Lennon's childhood. <center><font size=+2 face="Century Schoolbook"><b><u>REVIEW</u></b></font></center> This biopic of John Lennon, taking his story from his schooldays in Liverpool up until the departure of the nascent Beatles for Hamburg, is an exceptional movie, quite the best I have seen during 2010. The story is beautifully handled from beginning to end and the acting from the three main leads is superb. Aaron Johnson manages to portray Lennon's mixture of cockiness (in more ways than one!), aggression, painful vulnerability, bewilderment and sheer adolescent verve with great sureness of touch. We watch Lennon developing from school-kid into knowing young man, and we literally see a different face at the end of the movie to the one we did at the start. Superb playing by Johnson, brilliantly assisted by that of Kristin Scott Thomas as his Aunt Mimi and Anne-Marie Duff as his mother, Julia. It would have been all too easy to lapse into cliché with this story but this is largely avoided. We get glimpses of Liverpool - an opening on the steps of St George's Hall, a fleeting glimpse of Strawberry Fields, a shot of a ferry on the Mersey - but these glimpses are all we need. And the movie closes not with a rendition of an all too predictable 'Nowhere Man' but a beautifully performed 'In Spite of All the Danger'. They say it's a long way to the top if you wanna rock n' roll; in Nowhere Boy we can see where it, and we, all began.

• Gordon A

  
  Heartfelt study of Lennon's early life and his struggle to balance the affections of his two 'mothers'. We gradually begin to sympathise with his rebellious antics as more is revealed about his troubled past. Quite how he turned from this into the older peacnik hippy is… More
  Heartfelt study of Lennon's early life and his struggle to balance the affections of his two 'mothers'. We gradually begin to sympathise with his rebellious antics as more is revealed about his troubled past. Quite how he turned from this into the older peacnik hippy is a stretch.

Read all 20 featured audience ratings