Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.The artist Sam Taylor-Wood's pre-Fab Four drama is pretty conventional, forgoing the more visually arresting techniques used by fellow artist Steve McQueen on Hunger, and the artistic flair employed by the likes of Lynne Ramsay (Ratcatcher) and Andrea Arnold (Fish Tank).
However, it's still never less than compelling.
The biopic focuses on John Lennon's brash teenage delinquent – he thrusts smutty material in front of old ladies, steals records, rides on the top of buses and is told by his headmaster that he's "going nowhere" – and his tangled relationship with his frosty adoptive mother Aunt Mimi (Kristin Scott Thomas) and his flighty, unhinged birth mum Julia (Anne-Marie Duff), who abandoned him in infancy.
Scott Thomas and Duff are both outstanding as the sisters, vying for the boorish Lennon's attention. Mimi buys him his first guitar, while Julia teaches him how to play the banjo and tells him the meaning of rock'n'roll – "Sex". As for Aaron Johnson as Lennon? Well, he captures the great man's charisma, but his voice lacks that deeply sardonic tone, his lips aren't pursed enough and his eyes are a little too bright-eyed. And poor Paul McCartney (played by Thomas Sangster) again gets a raw deal, coming across as weasly and manipulative. And the music? Sadly, there's no Beatles, not even "Julia", but lots of fine rock'n'roll.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments