Submarine (2011)

Give me an affectation-heavy coming-of-age comedy, and make it extra affectatious! Richard Ayoade (best known as Moss from The IT Crowd) makes his feature film directorial debut with Submarine, an adaptation of Joe Dunthorne’s novel of the same name. It stars Craig Roberts as Oliver Tate, a teenager cut from the same cloth as Rushmore’s Max Fischer. He listens to Serge Gainsbourg, reads Nietzsche, watches silent films at restoration cinemas … wait, where are you going?! Stay!

OK, OK, it reads as obscenely cute and quirky, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. In the wake of Wes Anderson‘s success, we’ve seen plenty of aesthetic imitators come and go. They didn’t realise it wasn’t Wes’ style alone that made his films so memorable; it was also his ability to fuse profound sadness and universal human truths with delightful comedy, and wrap it up in such a unique package. Ayoade doesn’t ape Anderson, but he achieves similar magic, delivering a sad, funny little film that takes no shame in its visual influences (French new wave, nostalgic Super 8).

It may occasionally look like it was shot on a Hipstamatic camera, but there is much more under the surface (geddit?) of Submarine. Credit also belongs to the brilliant cast, especially Roberts, but also Noah Taylor and Sally Hawkins as his on-the-rocks parents, Yasmin Paige as his first love and the brilliant Paddy Considine as a ninja-like mystic who believes he can harness the power of light for spiritual rejuvenation. He also has a van with a bed in the back. You know this guy.

5/5

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The feature directorial debut for actor Richard Ayoade is an impressive though familiar exploration into the coming of age for one awkward teenager. Based on the novel by Joe Dunthorne, Submarine follows 15-year-old Oliver Tate (Craig Roberts) as he experiences his first love with Jordana Bevan (Yasmin Paige). His goal, at first, is to lose his virginity before his next birthday but he soon finds himself caring more for this girl who sets all of the boundaries in the relationship.

Alongside Oliver’s sexual awakening is the disintegration of his parents’ (Noah Taylor and Sally Hawkins) marriage, fuelled by the return of one of his mother’s ex-flames, mystic Graham Purvis (Paddy Considine). As Oliver sets about saving his parents’ marriage he sacrifices his own relationship, and in doing so begins to grow.

This is a faithful adaptation of Dunthorne’s novel, toned down somewhat for the audience by the exclusion of a sub-theme exploring Oliver’s sexual experimentation with a  minor that definitely would not have translated well to the screen. Overall the performances from the entire cast take Dunthorne’s extremely unlikeable characters and make them personable and funny.  Taylor and Hawkins as Oliver’s parents are the particular highlight, as is Considine’s Graham; though perhaps his character sways into stereotype he is nonetheless thoroughly entertaining to watch.

Visually, the film is a hipster’s paradise, with scenes of Oliver and Jordana racing through industrial sites or an empty carnival setting off firecrackers (add some manufactured indie pop music and you’d have yourself a music video). Submarine is constantly enjoyable, and doesn’t slip into a lull at any point. Comparisons to Wes Anderson’s work are inevitable though it seems to be more the characters and story rather than aesthetic style. Ayoade’s visual style shifts between stark and experimental, at times looking like a scratched Super 8 film. An impressive debut for Ayoade and a solid adaptation of the source material, Submarine is a funny, stylised account of one awkward teenager that defies Hollywood clichés.

3.5/5