Submarine

Impressions before seeing it
I never actually saw any footage from this at all before watching, but I was interested because it was getting some good reviews and was written/directed by Richard Ayoade, who plays Moss on The IT Crowd.

How was it?
I am a sucker for the indie movies that are shot and told in an interesting way. I'm not sure if Submarine qualifies as indie or if it's just more low-key because it's British, but it has that indie feel and that's a big plus because it had me charmed immediately.

The main character, Oliver, is noticing that his parents' relationship is failing just as he himself is landing his first girlfriend at school, and the movie follows his attempts to keep both relationships alive (he's not really a good boyfriend). That synopsis sounds pretty bland, but it's all in the execution. In a style somewhat similar to two of my favourite movies, Amelie and Mary and Max, it makes use of the little details like a character's likes and dislikes, and the quirky things they do to occupy themselves. I can't really explain why in words, but I will never get tired of that technique. It's maybe a little reminiscent of The Squid and the Whale as well, but more in terms of content than style.

I saw a lot of myself in Oliver, as he is quiet, introverted, awkward, and at times seems aloof, but his narration proves otherwise. He also does things I would never do, so he's not exactly like me, but I identified all the same. A high school student, he is in that crucial in-between stage where he is beginning to make adult decisions but still has the maturity and imagination of a child; Submarine is Oliver's journey to being less selfish. As he works on the two relationships, he is only applying selflessness to one of them, and only after saving his parents' marriage can he concentrate on being a better boyfriend. Maybe he's just not good at multi-tasking.

Recommendation
I really, really loved it. It kept me smiling (and occasionally laughing), and if you're a fan of the indie style then I highly recommend it.