Movie review: Submarine

Adapted from Joe Dunthorne’s novel with the same name, we can say that Richard Ayoade has made a nice directorial debut. The film itself was finished by the end of 2009, with music score composed by Alex Turner from Arctic Monkeys. Premiered at Toronto International Film Festival in September 2010, Sundance Film Festival in January 2011 and Berlin International Film Festival in February. It’s officially released on June in the UK and US. The movie also gains a lot of positive responds from movie critics.

The story is about love, family problems, and self-encounters with the world from a boy named Oliver Tate (Craig Roberts) in a weird funny way. Richard Ayoade really pays attention to every aspect and details of the movies, from the atmosphere of Oliver’s room with no particular period specified, but we all know when he grow up in an era of small, bulky TV sets, VHS tapes and ill-advised hairstyles and submarine wallpaper inside.

The movie was devided into three chapters and framed by a prologue and an epilogue, and the most of the story is about his complicated relation with his girlfriend Jordana Bevan (Yasmin Paige). The clever comedy and genuine emotions that are shown from their relationship or Oliver’s parents made the movie seems sweet and bitter at the same time.

Well, to be said it was a simply enjoyable movie worth to watch in the weekend. With 97 minutes movie, you want to get bored from the complicated English teenager problems, but also reminds you of your first flare and idealism of a young teenager love. (Othy)