Three stars for this Sam Taylor-Wood directed film, starring Aaron Johnson as a very young John Lennon. Excellent acting from Kristin Scott-Thomas as his Aunt Mimi, who brought him up from a child and from Anne-Marie Duff, one of my favourite actresses, as the charismastic, nervy Julia, his mum, from whom he's been separated between the ages of five and about fifteen and with whom he meets up again and starts to form a close relationship, only to have it dashed with her untimely death in a road traffic accident.

If you know as much about Lennon as I do - I was his biggest fan before he left and teamed up with Yoko - you will be a bit picky about some of the minor details. Language, again, for me, as usual - no one said "fuckwit" in the early 60's nor did any self respecting Scouser ever utter the phrase "I know you'll always be there for me." But on the plus side there was none of that Biopic dialogue which sits uncomfortably, filling in gaps in the audience's knowledge of the story. When Paul turned up for the first time, for instance, John simply said, "You're playing that back to front" - reference to him being left-handed, and when he went to say goodbye to Mimi before he went to Hamburg, and she asked him the name of his group, he didn't answer.

There was a sex scene I'd like to discuss in detail with someone who's seen the film that I take issue with though. But it's a bit early in the day...

That apart, Johnson grew into John Lennon very convincingly as the film progressed, just as one imagines John too grew into himself, trying on the familiar Lennon sneer alongside the Buddy Holly glasses and deciding to keep one while reject the other. My 27 year-old daughter thought Johnson was hot. Well, I told her. That's as maybe but she didn't know the young Lennon. Edgy,witty, cruel, sexy, anti-heroic - he possessed all those traits the angelic looking Paul lacked, and was a magnet to young girls like myself who thought they'd like a bad boy, but preferred them a few steps removed.

There was a sex scene I'd like to discuss in detail with someone who's seen the film that I take issue with though. But it's a bit early in the day...

I haven't seen it, but am I right in guessing it's a gay sex scene with their manager? There was a lot of speculation in the biographies, but I don't think it was ever proved.

No, it's not that, Naomi. This is the Beatles story before they were the beatles and before Brian Epstein. It's a heterosexual scene. Just not sure I believe young men of 17 are that generous in their lovemaking.

Just not sure I believe young men of 17 are that generous in their lovemaking.

I'm intrigued!

I'm hoping to see this film in the next week or so. I'm waiting for a certain north London cinema to respond to my complaint about the 35 minutes of trailers we had to endure before Bright Star finally started and hopefully give me some free tickets!

Cath

Skipoo, see the film and then tell me what you think!

I thought all cinemas showed 35 mins of trailers. It certainly seems like that. I am now in the habit of booking seats and going in fifteen minutes late.

I dunno. When I was 17 I was pretty generous. I'd shag anything!

JB

Not quite the same as what I mean, waxy, but lol anyway and good for you. I didn't, unfortunately and bitterly regret those wasted years of being a good girl.

Only joking! No regrets now!

JB

It doesn't involve a close relative, does it?

Nope. You have to watch it. (thinks - wish I'd never started this now!)