Opening 17 Nov 2011
Directed by:
Richard Ayoade
Writing credits:
Richard Ayoade, Joe Dunthorne
Principal actors:
Craig Roberts, Sally Hawkins, Paddy Considine, Noah Taylor, Yasmin Paige
What can be more difficult than being fifteen years old and entering puberty? How about going through puberty while your parents decide to have their midlife crisis? We meet Oliver Tate (Craig Roberts), who is standing at the threshold of either being accepted or being mobbed at school. At the same time he feels something is very wrong at home with his parents Jill and Lloyd Tate (Sally Hawkins and Noah Taylor). He wants to be distant from them, but at the same time feels he might need to help rescue them and save their marriage.
This hilarious British comedy dives into the mindset of a teenager who is willing to break all sorts of boundaries for those he loves. Starting with setting little fires for the girl he loves, following his mother to a new-age color meeting to see if she has fallen for her high school sweetheart, and skipping school to be with his seriously depressed father. This film reminds me of Harold and Maude, reflecting that insane off-the-cuff sense of humor while dealing with real issues. I would highly recommend this film to anyone who deals with teenagers and anyone who is going through a mid life crisis. It will make you laugh and remind you about being a teenager and also how the younger generation looks at the older generation. (Shelly Schoeneshoefer)
