Submarine

Though American Pie was great, its sequels and subsequent imitators were basically inferior versions of what had gone before. There’s only so many times you can tell the story of randy teenage kids attempting to lose their virginity's. So it’s quite a surprise to find a fresh take on the whole issue in a low budget British production. Even more surprising when you consider that the writer / director is Richard Ayoade, of The IT Crowd fame. For Submarine, Ayoade adapts Joe Dunthorne’s novel, telling the story of 15 year old Oliver Tate (Craig Roberts) and his clumsy attempts to woo Jordana (Yasmin Paige), whilst simultaneously trying to save his parents (Sally Hawkins and Noah Taylor) rocky marriage. Having mentioned the American Pie analogy, I’m actually doing Submarine a bit of a disservice, as it isn’t all about Oliver getting his leg over, but more a overall study of those, at times awkward, coming of age moments. You’ll smile as you recall what it was once like to be that innocent. Unsurprisingly with Ayoade’s background, there are some touches of comic genius here, especially the moment when Oliver’s dad presents him with a “falling in love” mix tape, which features “Break Up” songs on the reverse side (see what I mean about innocence). Hawkins and Taylor are both good as the parents, whilst Paddy Considine as a new-age guru, complete with shocking mullet, proves once again what a chameleon of a actor he is. Most surprising of all is, for a debut feature, how assured Ayoade is behind the camera, moving the story line along and utilising some stunning cinematography in parts, framing certain scenes in such a manner that dialogue is hardly needed to tell us what is going on. Of course it can’t be all-perfect. Some people will find this a bit too quirky and though Roberts and Paige are great, some people may find their characters somewhat unlovable. What can’t be denied though is that this is a solid debut feature from Ayoade. Is this the calling card of a new British cinematic talent? On this evidence, let’s hope so.

The OC Film Sting Final Verdict

A gem of a film, destined for cult status. Rating: 8/10.