The Loneliest Boy in the World
Thematic tightrope walk of a movie tries to be all things at once - succeeding at some.
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“The Loneliest Boy in the World” (now in select theaters and available on VOD beginning Tuesday, Oct. 18) is derived from a screenplay dating back to the 1980s. It also takes place in the ‘80s. The only credited screenwriter is Piers Ashworth (“Blithe Spirit”) – who also produced – but executive producers Brad Wyman and Emilio Estevez also had a hand in dreaming up the concept. How’s that for some ‘80s bonafides?
Max Harwood (“Everybody’s Talking About Jamie”) plays our titular ‘Loneliest Boy in the World.’ His name’s Oliver and he recently lost his mother (Carol Anne Watts) in a freak accident. After the incident Oliver is institutionalized for a time and looked after by social worker Margot (Ashley Benson) and psychologist Julius (Evan Ross, son of Diana).
As is medically sound, they tell Oliver he’ll be sent back to the asylum if he can’t make a friend within a week’s time. Oliver then takes it upon himself dig up the body of the popular Mitch (Hero Fiennes Tiffin, late of “The Woman King”). Oliver then proceeds to unearth the bodies of airplane crash victims Susanne (Susan Wokoma), little girl Mel (Zenobia Williams) and boozer Frank (Ben Miller).
Oliver props these folks’ corpses up on the couch and snaps pictures with them. Lo and behold, they come back to zombified life and serve as a nuclear family to Oliver. Mitch helps Oliver make time with new girl Chloe (Tallulah Haddon) and the whole crew defends him from bullies Kurt (singer and internet personality Jacob Sartorius) and Don (Sam Coleman).
“TLBitW” is directed by Martin Owen (“Twist,” “The Intergalactic Adventures of Max Cloud”) and what it does well it does very well, but when it misses the mark, it misses by a mile. I did appreciate all of the 1980s nostalgia. As an ‘80s kid and the proud owner of a talking Alf doll, I did very much enjoy all of the “Alf” references. (“Alf” is Oliver’s favorite show and he’s often depicted watching it. Susanne and Frank both dress up as Alf for Halloween.)
While “TLBitW” does a good job with time, it is lacking in a sense of place. The movie was obviously filmed in the United Kingdom, but also attempts to be very American. It could be argued that this is a fairy tale and its setting should be indicative of nowhere and everywhere simultaneously. Either way, it comes across as strange.
“TLBitW” is billed as a comedy, but I found very little of it to be funny. That said, its conclusion was surprisingly emotionally resonant. This is a credit to Ashworth’s writing and the actors making up the familial unit. I was especially impressed by Fiennes Tiffin, whose Martin plays a bit like a zombified Fonz.
“TLBitW” is a tightrope walk of a movie thematically. It’s supposed to be funny, gross and sad simultaneously. In trying to be all of these things, it’s often not enough of any of ‘em. I ultimately wanted more - funnier, grosser, sadder … better.