Submarine Review

All together now! “We all live in a yellow...”

RELEASED 12 September 2010
CERTIFCATE 15
DIRECTOR Richard Ayoade
CAST Craig Roberts, Yasmin Page, Sally Hawkins, Noah Taylor, Paddy Corsidine.
RUNNING TIME 97 minutes

PLOT: Set in Swansea, Wales, 1986, precocious Oliver Tate (Craig Roberts) falls for bad girl Jordana Bevan (Yasmin Page) in his class. Meanwhile, according to his hectic schedule of spying on them, his parent’s sex life has disintegrated. Which is not helped by the fact that his mothers first love Graham has just moved in next door.

Those of you who have seen Director Richard Ayoade in Channel 4 sitcom The IT crowd will fondly remember his character, super geek: Moss. Well who would have thought that Ayoade could have made such a fresh, quirky but ultimately funny indie teen flick. Submarine’s main protagonist Oliver Tate, is a gangly socially awkward teenage boy who struggles gaining popularity. However, due to his own disillusionment, imagines his own funeral with country wide mourners. Craig Roberts is perfectly cast as Oliver, just looking at his face during those uncomfortable moments of desperately trying to lose his virginity to his love Jordana is enough to make you squirm. The film’s (which is adapted from Joe Dunthorne’s novel) deadpan humour is instantly funny, is comes from Oliver’s voice over narration throughout the film and the brilliant chavtastic character Chip. Let’s face it. Every school has a Chip. Another brilliant performance comes from Paddy Corsidine, who plays the up-himself psychic and Oliver’s mother’s old flame Graham, with absolute ease.

Although the film is predominantly a comedy it deals with some heavy subject matters such as terminal illness, depression and marriage breakdowns. Each one of these issues is dealt with an uncanny kindness and honesty with a pinch of humour, without being offensive to the delicate themes. Submarine is also not afraid to break the fourth wall (watch out for Oliver’s talk about cranes and zoom shots) ala Ferris Buellers day off. It also tries its hand at some rather innovative narrative telling by the noir-film-style act breaks, adding a touch of 40’s Hollywood glamour over dull rainy Wales. So hats off to Mr Richard Ayoade for his seamless debut transition from actor to director, which many big screen actors have found out to be quite a tricky road.

VERDICT Full of humour, wit and unique stylistic devices. Submarine shy’s away from the typical sex-filled, gross-out teen films of recent times, and delivers us a meaningful and above all, realistic, story of first love.

4/5 aces

♠♠♠♠