Monday, April 22, 2013

Submarine (2010)

Year: 2010
Director: Richard Ayoade
Cast: Craig Roberts, Yasmin Paige, Noah Taylor,
Country of Origin: UK, USA
Rating: R
Time: 97 mins

I had been putting off watching Submarine for the past three months ever since it was continuously been popping up in my most recommended section in netflix for fear that for 1) I would overwhelmingly like it (and wasn't ready for that and no, i'm not being weird) 2) it would be just another hyped coming-of-age story that I didnt need to see. So last night I caved after a friend had told me how much he had liked it so here I went, clicked the play button, there's was no turning back now. What I saw was a male version of myself when I was in my teens: creating imaginary scenarios in my head, obsessed with the opposite sex (till the point of stalking), tripping and fumbling over my own words, and last but not least, snooping in on people's lives aka my parents. Maybe I exaggerated a bit on these same characteristics and behaviors but nonetheless, I'm sure we've all done this right? (RIGHT?!)

I had first laid eyes on Richard Ayoade, in the trailer for The Watch (2012) as the mysterious token Black guy amongst the familiar faces of Ben Stiller, Vince Vaughn, and Jonah Hill. Little did I know that he directed this incredibly charming film. Ayoade is one of those multi-talented guys who is so skilled and accomplished in being a  comedian, writer, director, actor, it is hard not to be jealous of his talents and endeavors. Ayoade is close friends with the lead singer of The Arctic Monkeys, Alex Turner and have directed not only multiple videos of theirs but also Vampire Weekend and my favorite, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. Richard Ayoade is now definitely in my radar of careers to follow because this man is more than just a sideline actor. He is much, much, more than that. 

Certainly, we've all seen our share of coming-of-age stories whether it is The Squid and the Whale, The Breakfast Club, or 400 Blows. And they all have the shared theme of exploring the transition to adulthood, the angst and confusion of youth, the temptation of losing one's virginity, and dealing with the reality of parent's broken love. While Submarine embodies all of these trite themes, Ayoade was able to bring undeniably originality to  the protagonist Oliver Tate's journey. Needless to say, I feel it's redundant to continue to express my love for this film. I may not have ever been a 15-year-old boy, but I have definitely share the same emotional roller coaster that Oliver Tate went through. And yes, all while talking to an imaginary camera. A