Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference."Passion rarely lasts, I'm afraid," Noah Taylor's glum marine biologist, Lloyd, advises his son, Oliver (Craig Roberts).
And Taylor, who excelled in two of Australia's loveliest coming-of-age tales, The Year My Voice Broke (1987) and Flirting (1991), is one of the highlights of Richard Ayoade's bittersweet teen romance. Bookish, duffel-coat-wearing Oliver, who is bullied at his Welsh comprehensive, is smitten by acerbic Jordana (Yasmin Paige). He defends her honour in the playground, refusing to call her "a slut", and gets walloped for his troubles. He also, briefly, gets the girl. However, his gloomy home life is impeding his happiness. His "naturally neurotic" mother (Sally Hawkins) is on the cusp of having an affair with their sleazy neighbour, Graham "the Ninja" (Paddy Considine, very droll), a platitude-spouting life coach. And Lloyd refuses to care about it.
Ayoade's debut film, adapted from Joe Dunthorne's novel, is very stylistic and references 400 Blows, Harold and Maude and Rushmore. It's not terribly funny, in fact it's rather sad, but Roberts and Paige are good together and there's some tangy dialogue.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments