97 mins - Comedy, Drama - Released 18.03.11
Starring: Craig Roberts, Yasmin Paige, Noah Taylor, Sally Hawkins
Director: Richard Ayoade
As we get to our teens - especially our late teens - we all begin to think we are far more mature than our years dictate. The problem is that from the outside looking in, everyone still considers you an adolescent with no grounding on how the world actually works. Submarine is the coming of age story of Oliver Tate’s 16th year in the world and considers himself to be the only sane person in a crazy world. The only difference is that in Oliver Tate’s world, this just might be true.
Submarine is a comedy-drama where the disjointed world of Oliver Tate’s (Craig Roberts) fictitious perspective of the world clashes with those of reality with hilarious outcomes. Beginning with the breakout of his unpopular school image and the wooing of his paramour Jordana (Yasmin Page) and progressing through to the serious subjects of having an estranged family, Submarine dabbles in the fantasy world that all kids share, one of grandeur and romance.
Oliver narrates throughout the entire plot passing witty and fantastical comments about his surroundings as if everything he notices is of a critical importance. Such topics of thought include the moving in of ‘ninjas’ next door and how a frequently bullied girl should follow his manifesto to become popular. These mini-adventures allow for the effortless setup of jokes and the delivery of elegant punchlines which turns Oliver from an awkward kid into a lovable duffle-coated spell-caster who’s able to win us over with uncomfortable laughs.
The rest of the cast deliver an equally as outstanding performance with Oliver’s duffle-coated partner in crime Jordana played by Yasmin Paige who portrays a thick - albeit slightly dry - skinned pyromaniac. Oliver’s parents Lloyd (Noah Taylor) and Jill (Sally Hawkins) bring ladles of deadpan humour as the slightly depressed Lloyd has to compete with ‘life-coach slash prophet slash ninja’ Graham (Paddy Considine). The bond between Oliver and his father is one that evolves and creates a strikingly heartfelt pathos throughout the film.
The combination of executive producer Ben Stiller and director Richard Ayoade made me quite wary of a film supervised by comedy acts, fearful that there would be no reprieve from a cache of jokes that would become overwhelming and subvert the storyline. I was wholly relieved to find my preconceptions defied as the plot and the jokes weaved into it make for a truly well crafted piece of British comedy. Never heavy handed, Ayoade has managed to lace humour in every corner with explosions of uncomfortable humour that will bring laughs and wide grins to every patron at the cinema. With this film nothing is left to waste and every moment is allowed time to fully mature and be savoured. I personally cannot wait until Ayoade’s next venture into feature film directing.
The cinematography in this film is special especially as it’s a comedy and not an exercise in capturing beauty. It’s so pronounced and beautiful that at times you can’t help but feel lost in the romance of what really is a very bleak and frigid setting. A shot of Oliver and Jordana running with fireworks is one that becomes replay-able as one of the more innocent scenes ever witnessed in film.
Overall Submarine is a tremendous film which has a thin veneer of hollowness when it in-fact has oodles of enjoyment and substance beneath. It truly is one of the best British comedy films made and I wouldn’t be surprised if it becomes a yard stick for future British indie comedies. Without a doubt worth seeing, it can be enjoyed at anytime and especially with a friend to discuss the complexity of the scenes after leaving the theatres.
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