Movies: Absolute Beginners

An all-but-forgotten flawed gem from a short-lived period in England’s film-production history where some real risk-taking was going on. Adapted from Colin MacInnes's novel, it's a panorama of late 1950s London's music scene, featuring young lovers Colin (Eddie O'Connell) and Suzette (Patsy Kensit) a-swim in an ocean of pop culture, ambition, greed, and tons of great music courtesy of both Gil Evans and EMI's catalog of stars. Look for David Bowie as an unctuous music producer (he also sings the title song, predictably enough), Sade as a cabaret crooner, and an eye-popping opening extended shot that is reason enough by itself to track this down. The latter third of the film gets too unfocused for its own good — there’s some earnest attempts to deal with race, class, and corporate greed, but maybe too earnest (read: strident) for their own good. Still, it's a great period piece; watch this as a two-fer with Quadrophenia.