Submarine (2011)

Oliver & Jordana who makes me want a bob, again.

I had the pleasure on Thursday of attending a pre-screening and Q&A  at The Cornerhouse of the début film from actor/comedian/music director Richard Ayoade. I personally adored the film, it was sweet, funny and memorable. Based on the book by Joe Dunthorne, the film centres on a young boy, Oliver Tate played fantastically by Craig Roberts (who I see as the next James McAvoy). Oliver falls for the chain smoking, execma sufferer  Jordana Bevan played by Yasmin Paige who has a penchant for casual pyromania.  All the while Oliver is having to monitor his parents played by Sally Hawkins and Noah Taylor sex life out of concern for their marriage. Oliver is an anti-hero, he sees himself as an expert on romance, and has the kind of honesty that is sometimes misinformed. 

Fans and critics alike have been describing Ayoade as a British Wes Anderson, which I can see similarities as his characters tend to be awkward and off-beat. I managed to muster up the courage to grab the microphone at the Q&A and ask Ayoade: 

'As a film maker does he think he will always be attracted to socially awkward characters?' 

to which he laughed and said; 

'what are you trying to say I'm sat up here like George Clooney' (Ayoade is sweetly a unassuming man who has dry sense of humour)

He went on to say that he cannot understand people who can exhibit lots of confidence and that he is never going to make a biopic on Bon Jovi. He finds people who are socially awkward more fascinating. He mentioned The Apartment (1960) and Woody Allen as being his favourite examples of this. The Apartment being one of my favourite films I was giddy by him mentioning it as a favourite too. Being a socially awkward individual my self I am often drawn to characters and film makers who exhibit the same characteristic's. 

Director Richard Ayoade, some may know him as Moss from the IT crowd.

The film also stars Paddy Considine as a hilariously played mystic with the worst mullet seen since Pat Sharpe (google him).

Check out the brilliant art work on the van.

 The film has a beautiful soundtrack by Alex Turner of the Arctic Monkeys, which adds to the film's brilliance greatly.  I was never a big fan of The Arctic Monkeys now I cannot stop listening to them. Submarine is a great example of fantastic British film, which should prompt the government into giving more funding to film!