Nowhere Boy

Any true Beatles fan knows that John Lennon wrote “Julia” and, well, “Mother” for his mother, Julia. In this directorial debut from Sam Taylor-Wood, Aaron Johnson plays a pre-Fab Four Lennon, reuniting with his mother (Anne-Marie Duff) after years living with his Aunt Mimi (Kristin Scott Thomas). Johnson proves to be perfect casting, capturing the essence of Lennon without doing a straight impersonation. Scott Thomas is equally good as Mimi, a sometimes overly strict but overall good influence in Lennon’s young life. The film’s major revelation is Duff, who steals every scene she’s in. Her characterization contains the kind of quirks one would expect to see in the mother of John Lennon. The film leaves off right before Beatlemania sets in. I, for one, would love to see this crew tackle the next chapter in Lennon’s life.