Blu-ray Movie Reviews

"Nowhere Boy" captures and conveys the crucial formative teenage years of John Lennon. For the first time on screen, it depicts the events and personal circumstances that led to the formation of the Beatles - and the underlying family currents that shaped and molded the creative and inspirational qualities of John Lennon. Qualities that had a revolutionary impact on the world during his brief 40 years of life - and that continue to have immense effect 30 years after his death.

Sony delivers a pretty solid HD presentation for this one. The color rendition leans a bit toward the yellows and golds and takes a bit of a toll on the overall sharpness of the image. Fine detail in close ups fairs very well but wider shots can look a touch soft for a newer film. Contrast is decent though and dimensionality as a whole is good. The DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack is also good but not quite as musical as one would expect from a film about John Lennon. The mix revolves mostly around the dialogue and subtle ambiance. The occasional rock selections do jazz up the mix a bit, but this is a pretty tame sound design overall.

Extras include a look at the making of the film along with some more info on the early days of Lennon. Some deleted scenes and trailers are also included.

This is a great character piece on the early years of one of music’s most prolific icons. Aaron Johnson is brilliant as a young and troubled Lennon and the rest of the cast bring strong performances as well. Definitely recommended for fans of the legend.