Two of Us

When this movie was first advertised on VH1, I was extremely sceptical. But, the closer the day came for airing, the more the advertising gave us different teaser glimpses and it intrigued me. By the time of broadcast, I was determined to watch it, albeit with my sharp critique in tact. Well, to my utmost surprise, I was absolutely amazed at the acting and simple premise of the flick. I actually had to stop several times to remind myself that this wasn't really Lennon and McCartney, but extremely talented actors with a very accurate (in spirit) script. Both Aidan Quinn and Jared Harris deserved awards for their touching performances of two of history's most talented and prolific songwriters.

Let's cut to the chase: If you're a baby-boomer, you inevitably spent some time wondering at the fact that, in 1976, McCartney had the gumption to drop in on John's city hermit life and spend the day with him. You also certainly wondered how things went. I heard the exact same reports that the writer of this film heard, from John's and Paul's perspective, and I admit that I reconstructed the meeting in pretty much the same way this film does. But none of my imaginings could have bought tears to my eyes the way this incredible piece of work and acting does. I found it amazingly lifelike, perfectly plausible and 100 % saccharin-free. Now, can anyone explain why I didn't hear of this masterpiece before it was shown by the CBC last night? I mean it's already three years old, for goodness sake! And yes, if you're a Beatles fan, this is a must-see performance! Even the subtle paraphrasing of Beatles' melodies in the background is inspired.

I sat down to watch this film with much trepidation and little hope. I didn't think it would be possible for this film to live up to its subject matter. But it absolutely did, and then some. First, I must say that Jared Harris did an extraordinary job as John Lennon. At times it seemed that Harris was channeling Lennon. The resemblance was often uncanny, and he clearly studied Lennon's mannerisms and vocal inflections. Aiden Quinn was quite good as McCartney, also bearing a striking resemblance to Macca, although he did occasionally trip over his Scouse accent.

This work of fiction was well-written and well-directed. It was pure fantasy, of course, but sometimes I felt like a voyeur peeking through a keyhole at this reunion. The rooftop scene was especially moving, as McCartney told Lennon what he had never heard as a child--that he was worthy and important, and it could never be his fault that he was abandoned by his parents. I also enjoyed the scene in the park where the pair of them danced with absolute abandon to the reggae band!

My one complaint would be this: I am not so sure that John was as caustic as he was portrayed in the film at this stage in his life. He had settled in to his domestic situation quite nicely, and he was actually known to be quite friendly when approached by fans. Only a few years later, he was very friendly when he was first approached by his assassin for an autograph on the day he was murdered.

Mostly this film served to stir up those feelings again about what might have been had John lived a bit longer. I am quite sure the Beatles would have come back together at some stage. And I am quite certain that Lennon and McCartney would still be friends today.

Well done, VH1. I will watch it again and again.

I wouldn't have expected most musicians or Beatles fans to like this film, what with our expectations and a feeling like we own our image of them in some personal sense, but I'm glad that many here did, because I think it is an excellent character study, regardless of whether it happened or not. And I think that especially for the general public, who may not have known much about John and Paul, at least outside of the Beatles, it gave an interesting portrayal of them as the remarkable people they were (and are, in Paul's case), both in good and bad ways, and accurately expressed some of the dynamic that they had between them, both in terms of friendship and conflict. Not that any of it was specifically accurate or would have happened that way, necessarily, but I think the dynamic itself was accurate, at least in terms of the mythology and perception we've gleaned from what we know about them and how they felt about eachother.

The only things I didn't like were parts of the rooftop scene, which kind of made Paul into a pseudo-saviour for John, although in terms of trying to instill some dramatics into the show, that was probably a valid device (John clearly had more demons and things unresolved in his life than Paul), and the scene of them in the park, which just seemed pointless. However, as they were walking into the park, there was a great line, where some guy asks John for change to help 'save the seals', and John says "I don't think they'd listen". I don't know if Lennon ever said that, but you've gotta admit, that's a great Lennon-esque line, and indicative of the sharp writing in this film...

EE

This film is worth seeing alone for Jared Harris' outstanding portrayal of John Lennon. It doesn't matter that Harris doesn't exactly resemble Lennon; his mannerisms, expressions, posture, accent and attitude are pure Lennon. Best scene: Lennon in a local cafe verbally sparring with a stuttering fan as to whether Paul McCartney & Wings' "Silly Love Songs" is worthy of #1 status in America.