End-of-year reviews: Forgotten, underperformed, overshadowed, and/or under-the-radar films over the decades – Part 4
A socially awkward teenager navigates first love, family dysfunction, and the existential burdens of adolescence.
A British coming-of-age of existential wit. Following up on Stand by Me (1986): https://kaygazpro.com/stand-by-me-1986/ and staying focused on the subgenre, Submarine is a distinctly British entry into the modern coming-of-age canon, akin to films like Comet (2014): https://kaygazpro.com/comet-2014-comedy-drama-romace/, Me and Earl and the Dying Girl (2015): https://kaygazpro.com/me-and-earl-and-the-dying-girl-2015-comedy-drama-romance/, 500 Days of Summer (2009): https://kaygazpro.com/500-days-of-summer-2009-comedy-drama-romance/, and It’s Kind of a Funny Story (2010): https://kaygazpro.com/its-kind-of-a-funny-story-2010-comedy-drama-romance/ – End-of-year reviews from a previous year.
Esoteric and existential, the film navigates the weight of childhood insecurities, traumas, and the perplexing gulf between adults who have long forgotten – or never truly lived – what growing up feels like, and children who struggle to understand the rules, compromises, and disappointments of the adult world. This disconnect drives much of the film’s humour, melancholy, and most inner thoughts.
Co-writer/director Richard Ayoade crafts a meticulously composed world, with a cold colour palette, and editing that reflect Oliver’s (Craig Roberts) interior life: introspective, awkward, and slightly surreal. Ayoade captures his reactions, framing both isolation and discovery with a subtle irony that complements the dry, cynical, witty script.
Craig Roberts, Yasmin Paige, Noah Taylor, Sally Hawkins, and Paddy Considine deliver remarkable performances, bringing to life the complex, awkward, and sometimes painfully honest interactions that define Oliver’s world. Each character embodies the reciprocity of miscommunication between generations: children grappling with misunderstandings and adults who fail to meet them halfway. Ben Stiller’s influence as a producer is subtle but effective, guiding the film’s balance of melancholy and humour while allowing Ayoade’s singular vision to shine. A rare film that understands both the burdens of childhood and the compromises of adulthood.
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