SUBMARINE

That moment you realise the pockets on your duffel and purely fashion not function. FAIL.

How I love thee, Richard Ayoade, let me count the ways...

Well there's Man to Man with Dean Learner, The IT Crowd, brief stints in Boosh, Garth Marenghi's Darkplace and a whole host of stylish, quirky music videos for the likes of Vampire Weekend, Kasabian, Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Arctic Monkeys.

And I haven't even got to that fro yet... *sighs longingly*

Bad ass mother flipper

Alas, that's about enough gushing for now - let's just say the stakes (and expectations) were high for Ayoade's directorial feature film debut, Submarine.

And met they were too. PHEW!

This comic - and at times tragic - tale of a teens inner turmoil ticks all the right boxes. An adaptation of Joe Dunthorne's 2008 novel, the narrative follows the plight of 15-year old Oliver Tate to lose his virginity and salvage his parents marriage, all whilst confronting a plethora of other issues ranging from school bullies to his father's depression.

A dry, dead-pan and witty tone is established from the outset and our protagonist's humorously over-blown imagining of his own funeral. Impressively the pace and razor-sharp rhetoric is maintained throughout; thanks in no small part to the delivery of talented newcomer, Craig Roberts (below) echoing the same awkward, emotionless state as Ayoade's uber-dork alter-ego, Moss.

Not exactly R-Patz, but keeping the geek-chic flame burning

Ambitiously intellectual and struggling loner, Oliver Tate has definite glimmers of J.D Salinger's Holden Caulfield about him, and combined with Ayoade's nods to Jean Luc Godard's French New Wave cinema style (inter-titles and dramatic orchestral accompaniments to moments of significance in the plot) and "artistic malaise" of director, Wes Anderson, this is meticulously thought-out comedy.

It's Considine's suave subtlety that really lures in the ladies...

A strong supporting cast adds to the humour and pathos, with Tate's depressed father (Noah Taylor) and discontented mother (Sally Hawkins) evoking laughter and sympathy in equal measure.

A notably amusing turn from Paddy Consindine as Oliver's mother's ex-lover, who shows up to throw a spanner in the works, also evokes sniggers every time he appears on screen, due in part to his mullet and also to his "way-out" life prophesying - think Patrick Swayze as Jim Cunningham in Donnie Darko and you're on the right lines (minus the implications of paedophilia).  Far out.

With a score courtesy of Arctic Monkeys frontman, Alex Turner, the film flows seamlessly from "happy-go-lucky-in-love" to "depths-of-the-ocean-depression", minus the cheese or the misery. No mean feat, I think you'll agree.

Unique, refreshing and genuinely engaging - one not to be missed!

Now I'm away to consider a brief hat phase...

Submarine is showing in cinemas nationwide now.