Member review

Submarine, Directed by Richard Ayoade, tells the coming of age story of Oliver Tate (Craig Roberts) in a small coastal town of Wales. Overall, this film is a fun and enjoyable experience, especially due to the visuals and clever dialogue.

Submarine is spilt into three separate parts, each consisting of the same narrative, but each having its own distinct feeling and style. These three parts, with the prologue and dialogue, tie together to create a complete and satisfying narrative about Oliver’s life, making the characters progression noticeable yet still not obvious.

Part one consists of almost complete camera movement, the use of zoom and panning is used in nearly every scene keeping the atmosphere flowing and fast paced, as the main character explains and provides an entertaining dialogue. This Act is very much concerned with the social politics of British high school, young love and adolescence, showing this through the use of fluid cinematography. This, in addition to the unexpected and unusual scene changes and camera angles, provides an engaging entrance to the film and story.

Part two is also comedic, but in a less obvious way. It explores characters more, and gives rise to the dilemmas Oliver must face. It is this part of the film in which the actors truly show their talent, with characters becoming more dimensional and understandable.

Part three, as with many films, takes a more serious light. The events of the film are at their climax, and Ayoade uses this newfound severity to let the visuals speak for themselves, lessening the dialogue and allowing more unexplained action.

Part of the charm of submarine is the sense of compassion and affection the viewer feels for Oliver. With lines such as ‘I took her to my favourite industrial park’ it becomes apparent that the main character is not the usual 15 year old. The relationship between the viewer and Oliver allows for an understanding of the situations, possibly an understanding that he himself does not have.

As well as this, the constant aquatic motif could possibly be what separates this film from others. The sound of waves can be heard in would-be silence, and the use of water, boats, submarines and fish in the foreground and background gives all three parts unity. Also, the film deals with the subject of depression in a refreshing and true way, the use of analogy and simplistic acting showing how the illness can make some feel. This is one of the many ways in which Submarine creates a compassionate understanding towards the characters, allowing the viewer to feel involved in this small seaside town in Wales.