Curiously beautiful, this film is. From the stylish cinematography to the quaint acting, the screen is filled with presence that makes the watching of it full of heartwarming and entertaining events. Based around the few things that happen in Oliver's (Craig Roberts) teenage life, we see relatively little occur, but those small happenings have a big impact on our emotions.
A directing debut from The IT Crowd's Richard Ayoade in terms of a big screen release, he has really made an impact on his style of filmmaking. He places emphasis on the craft behind the filming of an event, and uses interesting editing techniques to create a sense of feeling in the scene. The film flows effortlessly, but you pick up on the detail that's included, making you want to congratulate him on his achievements. Rather than having his style slapped in your face, like a Michael Bay film for example, you're gentle caressed with it, becoming more and more caught up in the world that the film is creating.
What adds extra passion to the story is the soundtrack. Written by Alex Turner (Arctic Monkeys), we're given gorgeously calming songs that enhance the mood completely. Reflecting this feature, the songs are simple yet effective.
Craig Roberts, with his funny voiceover, interesting looks and on the outskirts, dull personality reminds me of Moss from The IT Crowd, but as with him, when you see more of his character you become more compelled to learn about him, and find he's not dull at all, but a very intriguing boy. His love interest Jordana (Yasmin Paige) is just as engaging, showing quite a cool exterior, but really being a broken young girl. Every character in this film has alternative motives, which adds to the charm, changing your opinion of them constantly throughout.
The trailers for this seem quite art-house like, but it isn't as pretentious as you may think. The humour is constant throughout, but very dry indeed. There are scenes in which you wonder whether you can laugh, and others that are just laugh out loud funny. Yes the style is Ayoade's own and not necessarily what you would see on a typical main stream film, but you're never struggling to find the actual meaning behind the shots, you're just there to enjoy. Notice the use of red, it's brilliant.
If you read the short summary of this film on
IMDB.com, you can gain a better sense of this feature:
15-year-old Oliver Tate has two objectives: To lose his
virginity before his next birthday, and to extinguish the
flame between his mother and an ex-lover who
has resurfaced in her life.
In that short paragraph, you smile, notice there is a serious element to the story, and appreciate the way its phrased. Imagine that in a film and you've got it.
Lovely.
I do adore Moss.
