SUBMARINE - MIFF 2011

“Submarine” is a quirky coming-of-age drama that seems to share its sensibilities with the films of Wes Anderson, whose films always seem to centre on dysfunctional families.  Oliver is a fifteen year old school boy who throughout the film meets and falls in love with Jordana, a young pyromaniac who doesn’t mind indulging in the odd spot of bullying.  Jordana is Oliver’s first girlfriend, and he struggles to come to terms with the sudden responsibilities that come with being a partner to someone else.  Not only that but he has to deal with his father’s depression, his mother’s suspected infidelity and the sudden announcement that his girlfriend’s mother is dying of a brain tumor.  This is a lot for a kid to deal with but he is determined to keep his parents together while saving Jordana’s mum from cancer (although he has no idea how to combat the disease).  Did I fail to mention that the film is actually a comedy?

This was a great film that just seemed to fire on all cylinders.  The acting was all superb, and I especially loved seeing Noah Taylor on screen again in a substantial role as Oliver’s dad.  He is brilliant and hilarious throughout and his deadpan delivery was pitch-perfect.  The more I see of Sally Hawkins, the more I like her (and forget about her grating performance in “Happy-Go-Lucky”).  She plays Oliver’s mum here, and is also hilarious.  However it is the always fine, Paddy Considine who steals the show here in his role of a sleazy self-help / motivational speaker type guy named Graham, who also happens to be Oliver’s mum’s first boyfriend back in the day.  While the film is a comedy, it does deal with a number of serious issues along the way, and treats them with the respect they deserve.  It is good to see Oliver making the wrong decisions due to being uncomfortable or unsure of things, because I am sure this is true to how most fifteen year olds would react to these kinds of situations.

The film has been beautifully directed and is visually interesting and inventive throughout.  I loved seeing Oliver’s flights of fancy pictured within the film, especially early on when he dreams how everyone would react if he died.  It is hilarious stuff, as is the film in general, and I will now be definitely looking out for new films from director Richard Ayoade after this assured debut.

4 Stars.