Saturday August 20, 2011

Submarine- Music Video director Richard Ayoade (also portrays the character Moss on 'The IT Crowd') did a interesting job on this one. Fair warning, the first few minutes' utilization of shifts between stylized imagery and odd hand held type cinematography may give off a kind of odd feeling, so let it settle and find it's ground and you become comfortable with it. Once you get to know the character of Oliver Tate (played awkwardly as ever by Craig Roberts), you can see the brilliant mess of comedy and sadness that will contain the next hour and a half. Despite it fitting into that block of "films that should be recommended to fans of Wes Anderson's 'Rushmore'", the film finds a starkly original place to stand on its own. The film is told from the narrative perspective of Tate, who often looks at his own life like a film, consequently forcing plot points into his own life story/film. It's quite funny, in it's awkward way, but the majority of it that will most likely draw you in for its Coming-of-Age, dramedy-esque bits. The movie brings Tate's story of first love with the combined polar opposite story of his Parents' failing marriage, and his resolve to keep both story lines under control creates the conflicts of the film. It's definitely worth watching, simply at best because Ayoade adds a certain personal flair to it that is worth checking out from a first feature. Also, the score by Alex Turner of the Arctic Monkeys is a perfect fit and even if you don't watch the movie, I would still recommend at least checking out the track "Piledriver Waltz".



- Jeff Bassin