Submarine
Rating: 8/10
Cast: Sally Hawkins, Craig Roberts, Paddy Considine, Noah Taylor, Gemma Chan, Yasmin Paige
Director: Richard Ayoade
Richard Ayoade aka Moss from The IT Crowd has a stunning directorial debut in this coming of age tale set in Wales.
Craig Roberts is duffel-coated 15 year old Oliver Tate, a teen who's in love with a schoolmate and whose obsession with the state of his parents' marriage may end up sending him to an early grave.
Tate is an awkward kid -he reckons he's the bees' knees and is in denial with the reality that he's uncool and socially backward. However, that doesn't stop him from beginning a relationship with Yasmin Paige's Jordana.
Sally Hawkins is the mum, Noah Taylor the depressed dad and Paddy Considine, a mulleted mystic and ex-flame who could cause the rift between Tate's parents to grow.
Tate decides to try and get the family to rekindle their relationship and love - with sometimes depressingly humorous consequences.
Moments of laugh out loud dry humour are interlaced with stylish and stylistic film making, freeze frames and jump cuts as Ayoade shows he's a serious talent to be reckoned with.
Deft,delightful and deliciously dark at times, this is a sensational debut and one which showcases the very best of the international talent.
Submarine is a joy and a delight which cries for you to love it
- perhaps a little too hard at times, but it's difficult to resist
its many charms.
