15-year-old deep-thinking Welsh schoolboy Oliver Tate struggles to initiate and maintain a relationship with Jordana, his devilish, dark-haired classmate at their Swansea high school. As his parents' marriage begins to fall apart, similar problems arise in his relationship with Jordana.
Noah Taylor
Lloyd Tate
Paddy Considine
Graham Purvis
Craig Roberts
Oliver Tate
Yasmin Paige
Jordana Bevan
Sally Hawkins
Jill Tate
Steffan Rhodri
Mr. Davey
Darren Evans
Chips
Osian Cai Dulais
Mark Pritchard
Lily McCann
Zoe Preece
Otis Lloyd
Keiron
Elinor Crawley
Abby Smuts
Gemma Chan
Kim-Lin
Melanie Walters
Jude Bevan
Sion Tudor Owen
Brynn Bevan
Adrienne O'Sullivan
Jackie
Jonny Wier
Malcolm
Lydia Fox
Miss Dutton
Lynn Hunter
Gene
Claire Cage
News Reporter
Edwin Ashcroft
Dafydd
Andrew Phillips
Rhydian Bird / School Boy
James Alexander Hill
School Boy
Rikki Hall
School Boy
Tom Ryan
School Boy
James Jones
School Boy
Sophy Brady-Halligan
Watkins Twin
Tanya Brady-Halligan
Watkins Twin
Sarah Pasquali
Woman Who Looks Nothing Like Jordana
Ben Stiller
Soap Opera Star (uncredited)
Director, Writer
Richard Ayoade
Novel, Script Consultant
Joe Dunthorne
February 11, 2023
7
Craig Roberts brings an engagingly mischievous charm to his role here as the pubescent teenager "Oliver". Like most of us at that age, he is obsessed with sex. "Jordana" (Yasmin Paige) is the object of his desires. Meantime, his mother "Jill" (Sally Hawkins) is having a bit of a crisis of her own with her rocky marriage to the well meaning but rather drippy "Lloyd" (Noah Taylor) being undermined by the arrival, next door of her ex-lover; the charismatic and way more hip "Graham" (Paddy Considine). The next ninety minutes or so see the young man try to manoeuvre his way into the arms of his beloved whilst simultaneously ensuring he torpedoes any chance of a reconciliation between his mum and her former beau. It's an ensemble effort, really. Roberts stands out, but the others all contribute well to this well and pithily written story of angst (for all ages). It's witty, sharp and offers us quite a recognisable glimpse of - quite frequently cringeworthy and embarrassing - family life where crises are never far from the corn flakes. You might never look at a giraffe the same way again... Well worth a watch, this - but perhaps not with your kids (or if you are friendly with the guy next door!).