Submarine

Submarine is the story of Oliver Tate (played by Craig Roberts), a 15 year old school boy. In this coming of age film he discovers his first love: fellow classmate Jordana (Yasmin Paige); and is determined to rekindle the relationship between his Mum and Dad while destroying the relationship between his mother and ex-lover Graham (a new age psychic type).

Directed by Richard Ayoade (IT Crowd, Garth Marenghi’s Darkplace) and based on the novel by Joe Dunthorne, this is a very funny, slightly kooky, sometimes sweet film. Craig Roberts is great as the awkward teenager trying to find his place in the world. He completely over-dresses when he invites Jordana over to his house hoping to sleep with her (wearing and old tweed jacket!); he looks very awkward and doesn’t know how to react when Jordana wants him to go and visit her dying mother in hospital. Oliver’s thoughts/imagination are brilliantly realised by Ayoade. At one point Oliver imagines his life as a romantic home movie, and for a while the film is shot in Super 8. Ayoade also knows when less is more: Oliver stands up to bully at school telling him to leave Jordana alone; quick cut to Oliver all on his own slumped against the wall with a bloody nose!

Overall, a brilliantly funny, very original film from a guy who writes great TV comedy and has really scored with his first feature film.