The Boy With The Thorn In His Side
2014, 105 minutes
A sidelong look at London’s nightlife and a knowing examination of the psyche of the modern British twenty-something.
Jon Favreau’s ‘Swingers’ esque ‘The Boy With The Thorn In His Side’ is a 2012 tale of a young writer trying to get over the girl that left him behind and survive the intricacies of the capital’s nightlife with only the help of his hard partying, wisecracking friends as they drag him from one London nightspot and party to the next. A romantic comedy of an ilk unmade in Britain for some time. The antithesis of a saccharine ‘Love Actually’ the film is a knowing and witty story much more likened to the American indie hits ‘500 Days of Summer’, ‘Juno’ and ‘Nick and Nora’s Infinite Playlist’. The story moves from one aspirational setting to the next as the boys try to convince the protagonist Ryan to drink and party his way past his problems, but only Ryan can find the answer and he alone must decide whether it is his ex-girlfriend Lucy or the beautiful Anna that will ultimately bring him happiness. In the meantime, Connor and John are determined only to ensure that he has a drink fuelled and raucous time. ‘Bright Lights, Big City’ retold in modern day London, the film is packed with wit, laughs, beautiful people but more than anything else lots of heart.