The Pebble and the Boy Review: Sacha Parkinson Shines And Overcomes A Moody Main Character

Release date: November 16, 2021
Running time: 100 minutes
Writer/Director: Chris Green
Cast: Patrick McNamee (Our Girl), Sacha Parkinson (Coronation Street), Max Boast (Sex Education), Patsy Kensit (Lethal Weapon 2, Shelter Island), Ricci Harnett (Rise of the Footsoldier) and Jesse Birdsall (Hollyoaks)

A boy, his Dad's ashes and a Lambretta scooter.  John embarks on a journey from Manchester to Brighton, the spiritual home of the Mods, to scatter his late father’s ashes.

The Pebble and the Boy is a touching road trip / coming of age journey.  I really liked the main characters, who were quirky enough to add some flavor to this story.  Although John is not the most interesting protagonist,  thankfully, those around him can be there to add some enjoyment to the overall film.  I especially liked Sacha Parkinson for her carefree character.  She was the main drive in the film, while also adding plenty of humor to the movie.  And another member of the road trip, Max Boast adds some additional strange but entertaining energy.  His character is abrasive at the start but he grows on you. 

And the journey of self discovery is a fun one to go on.  I really liked the characters we met along the way and the soundtrack to the journey.  The film has a wonderful mix that will get your blood flowing and transport you back to this time period.  The music is amazing even if you don't know the bands; the infectious soundtrack will make you a fan.  The film is also a good introduction to mod culture and the type of ridiculous scooters that these can inspire.  There are some very interesting ones represented here as well as plenty of smart fashions on display.

However, despite me generally liking this film, I liked it in spite of the main character.  No offense to Patrick McNamee, but John is just not a likable character.  He seems to treat his friends poorly, he is surly, and just doesn't appreciate all that those around him are doing for him.  This changes later in the film, but at least initially it was tough to like this character.  And the journey itself is a little slow, with not a lot happening for large portions of it.  But if you can get past these, you have a heartwarming adventure with some interesting characters and a deep dive into mod culture.

The Pebble and the Boy's infectious soundtrack, love of mod culture, and quirky characters highlighted by Sacha Parkinson make this a road worth taking. 

Watch it.

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The Pebble and the Boy is available in digitally and on demand on November 16, 2021.  

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