Television star Richard Ayoade's directorial film debut is one of the smartest, most playful comedies of the 2010s.
An under-seen and under-appreciated coming-of-age comedic drama from English filmmaker
Richard Ayoade. Notable for his starring role on the television series
The IT Crowd, Ayoade made his feature debut behind the camera with his adaptation of
Joe Dunthorne’s novel
Submarine, a story about a young boy attempting to woo the “bad girl” from his school, while simultaneously trying to keep his parents’ marriage from falling apart.
The dialogue is sharp and witty, the directing and editing are playful, and Ayoade wears his cinephilia on his sleeve, showing that he’s deeply indebted to his cinematic forebears, with filmic references and homages galore (e.g.,
The 400 Blows [1959],
Persona [1966],
The Graduate [1967]).
Ayoade balances the tone of the film well, and the dramatic scenes never feel out-of-place or unearned, which is an impressive feat for a movie with this much whimsy. The chemistry between the performers makes it a thoroughly engaging watch, and if you’re in the mood for something smart, charming, and slightly unconventional, you can’t go wrong with
Submarine. It’s one of my favorite comedies of the decade.
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