Synopsis: 15-year-old Oliver Tate has two objectives: To lose his virginity before his next birthday, and to extinguish the flame between his mother and an ex-lover who has resurfaced in her life.
When I first saw the trailer for this film, I was intrigued with the idea. I am a huge fan of Richard Ayoade, as well as being an amazing actor, he is a successful director, working on Garth Marenghi’s dark place, as well as shooting music videos for the Arctic Monkeys.
Richard Ayoade has been compared to the British version of Spike Jonze, and you can clearly see some similarities between the two, however I think Ayoade has a uniqueness about him that works. The film is wonderfully shot in Wales and there are some scenes, which are just wonderful to watch. What I really liked about this film was the lighting use within the film, I don’t know if it was just me, but it looked like the director preferred using natural lighting as much as possible, and I believe it worked well for the film.
The story is wonderfully played out on screen, there’s an amusing flow to the film. I loved the interchange between the main character Oliver and the rest of the cast, there is a brilliant chemistry between the casts, which helps the story develop before our eyes.
The acting is superb, Craig Roberts great choice. His raw and slight awkward performance enhances the characters vulnerability and adds a human touch to the character. The supporting cast also is brilliantly put together; you could see the chemistry between everyone, as well as a talented performance from them too.
Finally the music is splendid, Arctic Monkeys front man Alex Turner, a good friend of the director was called upon to help create and score the film, which in my opinion is perfect. His voice, lyrics and instrumental choice is ideal. At times in the films if you do start to feel slightly cramped, the music instantly lifts you up and brings you closer to the film. I have the EP for the film and would definitely recommend getting it, well worth it.
Overall I’d say this is a fantastic directorial debut for Richard Ayoade, it is a wonderful story and fantastically acted with a splendid cast. At times the film does have some hit and miss moments. But generally it is a lovely watch. The soundtrack is fantastic and just for that alone I would recommend you to watch this film.
7.5/10