The new film about John Lennon's teenage years, Nowhere Boy, premiered in Liverpool on November 23 at the Odeon. Aaron Johnson, age 19, who plays the teenaged Lennon, appeared on the red carpet with his fiancee and the film's director, 42-year-old, Sam Taylor-Wood. The two fell in love while working on the film.
The film is based on the book, The Private John Lennon: The Untold Story from His Sister, by John Lennon's half-sister, Julia Baird, and focuses on John's relationship with his Aunt Mimi, played by Kristin Scott-Thomas, and his mother, Julia, played by Anne-Marie Duff. In Baird's book, she busts the myth that Lennon's mother willingly gave John up, but instead claims that Julia's child-less sister, Mimi, forcefully took the child away from a vulnerable Julia to raise as her own.
Of course, the film also documents the formation of The Beatles, with the young Lennon befriending a baby-faced Paul McCartney, played by Thomas Sangster. While praising Aaron Johnson's portrayal of John Lennon, critics also accuse the film of over-dramatizing certain events, which may mislead viewers about the true history of The Beatles.
Filmed in Liverpool, Nowhere Boy is scheduled for release in the UK on Christmas Day. However, there are no current plans for a US release.
Watch the trailer below.
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