If Wes Anderson made a film that took place in Wales, it would be Submarine. This revelation is in stark contrast to the exclamations on the cover of the DVD, claiming that the film is “refreshingly urgent and original,” among other things (David Gritten, The Daily Telegraph). It is not that unique, at least not for independent films, which are all growing more and more similar to each other and developing their own clichés and tropes and losing the main thing that makes an independent film what it is supposed to be—originality. However, just because Submarine is not as unique as it claims to be, does not mean it is a bad film. Especially in contrast to the robot-filled blockbusters that populate the multiplexes as of late, it is incredibly charming, funny, and visually appealing. “A charming mix of quirk and cool,” says the quote from Vogue on the cover—a far more apt description in my book.
Submarine is the directorial debut of comedian Richard Ayoade, best known to Anglophiles as the hapless Moss on the sitcom “The IT Crowd.” Those who know that shows blend of loopy and bizarre humor, more akin to old-fashioned American sitcoms than the most renowned deadpan British programs, will be surprised to learn that Ayoade is responsible for this film. It is dark, very dark, darker than anything Moss could imagine in his wildest dreams. Based on the novel by Joe Dunthorne, it follows self-proclaimed protagonist Oliver Tate as he narrates his own “coming-of-age.” Oliver seems aware that he is in a film, yet also aware that the events of his life don’t roll out the way they normally would onscreen. Oftentimes he immerses himself in a fantasy world where these things do happen, but that makes the stark difference of reality all the more painful. He imagines and even speaks aloud his desire for the usual film clichés to occur in his life, such as imagining the whole of Wales mourning his premature death or running towards his dream girl on the beach only for her to turn around and be a total stranger. This sending-up of cinematic devices works for both comedic and dramatic effect.
Oliver is played by young actor Craig Roberts in what would be a star-making performance in a higher-profile film. He is an excellent actor who has previously delivered great performances on the show Being Human and the most recent film version of Jane Eyre. Here he displays a talent for subtle humor and heartbreak that seems far beyond his years. His face is startlingly pale against his pitch-black hair and bulky coat, and gives him an otherworldly look that doesn’t really look that out of place in the ethereal Welsh landscapes. His wide-eyed stare is both intimidatingly freaky and vulnerable. Without him in the role of Oliver, Submarine would be a very different film, and definitely not as enjoyable.
Oliver’s aforementioned coming-of-age consists of him trying to lose his virginity to his cool and rebellious new girlfriend, Jordana (Yasmin Page, in a performance equally great to Roberts’s) while also holding his parents’ struggling marriage together. Mum and Dad are played by reliable British actors Sally Hawkins and Noah Taylor, while the incredibly underrated Paddy Considine plays Graham, a loopy self-help guru who moves next door and also happens to be Mum’s ex-boyfriend. Oliver’s attempts to control the events around him are often very misguided and rather selfish, as are the actions of most teenagers. He is our hero but he is not always likeable, and in the end, that is what makes Oliver so likeable—because he is the confused kid we all were at that age, only he takes that confusion and channels it into spying on his mother’s phone calls and pissing in Graham’s house. When he finds out that the usually aloof Jordana suddenly needs his closeness as her mom struggles with a brain tumor, it adds a whole other element into the mix. The title references a beautiful conversation that Oliver has with his dad near the climax of the film, concerning the feeling of depression, as though one has been submerged in water. It’s moments like this, amidst the sea of quirk, that really hit home and make the more obviously “indie” parts of the story more tolerable, along with the brilliant performances of the ensemble cast.
The style, both visually and tonally, very much harkens to the work of Wes Anderson, only this time done with a distinctly British sensibility that adds freshness, if not complete individuality, to the whole proceeding. The use of title cards and a distinct scheme of color blocking, as well as the trendy soundtrack (by Alex Turner of the Arctic Monkeys) and the way of finding humor in the unhappiest of moments, is very Andersonian, if you will. Yet as a big fan of that filmmaker I enjoyed Ayoade’s adaptation of those elements. Considering that this is his feature debut as a writer and director, I am sure that he will start to develop a more distinct style of his own as his career progresses. Because it does indeed deserve to progress. Submarine is touching, real, and insanely quotable, and far better than most other films I’ve seen this year.
DVD SPECIAL FEATURES
The "Making Of Submarine" featurette is definitely worth checking out in order to observe how different Roberts and Page are from their onscreen personas. If you watched the film and though they were child actors just playing themselves, you will be greatly mistaken. In particular, Page speaks quickly and with a big smile on her face, a sharp contrast to the clipped, angry tones of Jordana in the film. I hope that more big things come the way of these two. Watching Ayoade explain how the project fell into his lap was a joy too. The deleted scenes are the standard group of tidbits that while interesting, are not necessary viewing.
"Submarine" is on sale October 4, 2011 and is rated R. Comedy. Written and directed by Richard Ayoade. Starring Craig Roberts, Noah Taylor, Paddy Considine, Sally Hawkins, Yasmin Page.
