SUBMARINE
Richard Ayoede (2010)
4 STARS
In what may be the most refreshing film to come from British cinema since Trainspotting, Richard Ayoede’s Submarine is a film lover’s dream. Ayoede’s first feature length film is a coming-of-age drama-comedy revolving around Oliver, a socially awkward teen growing up in 1980s Swansea. Submarine seems set to boost Ayoede from a comedy actor through to a respected director. The gritty realism of adolescence, mixed with the artistic flare of a new British director comes together in one of the best independent films of the year.
Submarine has been adapted from Joe Dunthorpe’s novel of the same name, by Ayoede himself. Throughout the film we are introduced to a variety of misfits, firstly Oliver himself who begins the film by imagining what would happen after his suicide. We then meet his soon-to-be girlfriend, Jordana, who appreciates bullying in moderation as well as mild arson. The quirky characters continue as Oliver’s parents are introduced. His father Lloyd (Noah Taylor) is so boring its tense and Jill (Sally Hawkins) who has recently found her old flame, Graham Purvis (Paddy Considine) a new-age motivational speaker.
It is not only Dunthorpe’s novel that has influenced Ayoede. We also see the comedic dryness that Wes Anderson is known for, The Royal Tenenbaums for example (it is no coincidence that Ben stiller starred in Tenenbaums and is a producer of submarine). One such moment is when Oliver notes that were his father to be a colour it would be eggshell. Ayoede also uses an Anderson-esque font for the titles. We experience Jean-Luc Godard’s techniques of making a film aware of itself. The most humbling of the breaks of the fourth wall is when Oliver states that he imagines the biopic of his life to crane out but with his luck the budget can only manage a zoom out, and so it does.
Submarine is not propelled by the narrative, which at times can be slightly mundane; there is nothing here that films such as the breakfast club and (Juno) haven’t already discussed. Ayoede manages to bring the done-to-death concept of growing up to new life through realism that makes you smile. Oliver awkwardly falls over his own words as he invites Jordana to his house as any courting young man might. Lloyd says ‘K-nock, k-nock’ instead of actually knocking on his son’s door. These detailed moments make the film fully believable. It may not be a laugh-out-loud kind of film, but Ayoede’s dark humour forces a smile throughout.
Craig Roberts delivers a touching performance as the duffle-coat wearing Oliver. His dry and naively shocked facial expression throughout the film can be likened to that of Dustin Hoffman in The Graduate. The thought processes of Oliver are shown through the unique use of camera work. When Oliver and Jordana share a kiss the characters freeze but the camera continues to circle the pair. On the odd occasion when the action seems to be getting too tense we are brought hurtling back to reality with charming narration by Oliver. After discussing his parents possible affair Oliver notes that whenever he is late home his Mum thinks that he has been murdered and left in a ditch. A simple cliché that teens and parents alike can relate to.
Ayoede’s relationship with Alex Turner, already cemented as he directed an Arctic Monkeys video, comes in to play as Turner returns the favour with the soundtrack. The solo, acoustic, songs go hand in hand with the dry realistic feel to the movie in general. The seemingly random but simultaneously poetic lyrics of Turner’s songs are synonymous with the awkward yet loving relationship that Oliver and Jordana share. It is also endearing to hear a British artist playing all five of the songs in the film. The score of the film, however, seems slightly out of place at times. At seemingly random intervals a striking violin note, more suited to a Hitchcock thriller, pierces the tension of well thought out scenes. As Oliver cycles away from the house of his mother’s ex-boyfriend, after childishly vandalizing and urinating in it, I was startled as a violin note broke the tense moment.
Ayoede shows off his artistic ability in particularly detailed moments through the narration of Oliver. These moments include Oliver describing Jordana’s mouth as a mixture of milk, Polo Mints and Dunhill International. As well as Oliver’s mother having to bring her own cake to work on her birthday. These seemingly insignificant details are what gives the film its charm and segregates it from the usual drab teenage films with no personality.
Submarine is a superb examination in to the psyche of a Welsh teenager in the 80s which is held together by the directing talent of Ayoede. The dry performance of his cast brings out the dark humour of the script in the best possible way. Though this may be Ayoede’s ticket to bigger things it would be widely appreciated if he remained in Britain a while longer and blessed us with more of his film-buff pleasing artistic style.