Submarine by Natasha Jenkins

Theme and director’s intention

Director Richard Ayoade's debut feature film based on the novel by Joe Dunthorne may not have you laughing riotously, but its dry and deadpan delivery will have you smirking from beginning to end.  -Scott

Separate elements and their relationship to the whole

Based on a novel by Joe Dunthorne, "Submarine" is not exactly the first film willing to explore the coming of age of a teenage boy. But by grafting delightful cinematic wit and style and a fondness for the energy of the French New Wave onto the tale of a 15-year-old taking on life in a town in Wales, Ayoade makes us feel like it's never been told before.  -Turan

The freshness wears off a bit as the story takes shape, and crucial passages are handled by means of montage sequences accompanied by broody tunes from Alex Turner, frontman of Arctic Monkeys.  -Scott

Objective evaluation of the film

In three chapters, framed by a prologue and an epilogue, Oliver must negotiate his own relationship with Jordana and an apparent crisis in his parents’ marriage. His dad, Lloyd (the brilliantly deadpan Australian actor Noah Taylor), is a marine biologist with a depressive streak, and Oliver worries that Jill is drifting toward Graham. Meanwhile he faces a test of his devotion to Jordana, and it all adds up to a big, drily hilarious ball of confusion.  -Scott

Set in the 80s, it has a timeless retro feel as Oliver narrates the story of his life in Swansea where he lives with his parents Jill (Hawkins) and Lloyd (Taylor). Oliver (who describes his life as if it's a film) initially presents himself as quite pompous, with a heightened view of himself as more intelligent and better read than those around him. The truth is somewhat different, he's introverted and unpopular, lacking in social skills and without any real experience with girls.  -Rudkin

Subjective evaluation of the film

At times it's a little too cool, too contrived, and too cold emotionally, but thanks to an excellent cast and a sharp and witty script Submarine is still a very sweet, affecting and fun film.  -Rudkin

The film’s level of ambition

And not really to anything new. This is the kind of story, as Oliver himself would admit, that we have already seen dozens of times. But Mr. Ayoade’s keen visual wit and clever, knowing touches keep it surprising and nimble, especially in the quick, lurching early scenes, which are startlingly funny.  -Scott

Words you found interesting.

Charm, quirky, sweet

Relationship to film movements/genres/ relation to other filmmakers’ work.

At moments he approaches the mordant, heady sense of the sorrows and freedoms of youth captured by François Truffaut in “The 400 Blows,” a movie that, come to think of it, Oliver has no doubt already seen.  -Scott

This coming-of-age story about Welsh schoolboy Oliver Tate (Roberts) comes from the Wes Anderson school of film.  -Rudkin

Works Cited

Rudkin, Francesca. "Movie review: Submarine." The New Zealand Herald. N.p., 24 Nov. 2011. Web. 7 

     Feb. 2012. <http://www.nzherald.co.nz/movies/news/ 

     article.cfm?c_id=200&objectid=10768155>. 

Scott, A. O. "Submarine (2011)." The New York Times. N.p., 2 June 2011. Web. 7 Feb. 2012. 

     <http://movies.nytimes.com/2011/06/03/movies/submarine-with-craig-roberts-review.html>. 

Turan, Kenneth. "'Submarine': Movie Review." Los Angeles Times. N.p., 3 June 2011. Web. 7 Feb. 2012.

     <http://articles.latimes.com/2011/jun/03/entertainment/la-et-submarine-20110603>.