If you’re a diehard Belle & Sebastian fan, you’re salivating over God Help the Girl, Stuart Murdoch’s directorial debut. A coming-of-age movie musical, Murdoch’s story follows a dazed and confused Glasgow teenager who begins songwriting to get her out of a funk. Her newfound passion leads her to city kids James (Olly Alexander) and Cassie (Hannah Murray), two outcasts like herself. They form a band, and so begins the journey to self-discovery.
Alexander, the lead singer of the band Years & Years, and Browning were comfortable singing for an audience before filming, while Murray had to adjust to jamming outside the privacy of her bedroom. But the trio come together in perfect harmony for the film, in theaters today. The music is just as beautiful and poignant as the stunning cinematography.
Here, Alexander and Murray discuss what Belle & Sebastian means to them, cynicism towards musicals, and going through the emo stage during those awkward teen years.
On being a Belle and Sebastian fan:
Olly Alexander: I knew only a few Belle & Sebastian tracks that my friends were really into, and when the project came around, every actor wanted to be in the movie. Everyone was just going crazy for the movie saying, “I want to be in the Belle & Sebastian film! It’s going to be so cool!” As soon as I got the script and audition, I knew it was gonna be good. Stuart’s such an artist. He really wants to make movies that purely are his vision. It was pretty cool to be involved."
Hannah Murray: All three of us were starstruck! Stuart was so down-to-earth and cool with everything and that really put me at ease. When we were rehearsing the songs, though, he sang one of them so that me and Emily [Browning] could sort of get into tune, and that hit me. It’s amazing to realize that the person you’re working with is quite iconic.
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On responding to cynics who bash musicals:
Alexander: I think musicals are kind of dorky, too, but that’s okay. Things can be dorky and still be good. I wouldn’t say I’m a fan of the genre, but the reason I like this film is because it’s unique. It’s normal people bursting into songs, but not totally removed from reality. I mean, I struggle with big over-emotional, ridiculous musicals that I can’t really relate to, but this one has a bit more humanity, more human heart to it. I’m sure other musicals have that too. I feel bad! [Laughs.]
Murray: I would say get over yourself! Some of the most fun experiences I’ve had were going to see musicals and I think there’s a real joy in the lack of cynicism they promote and the idea that you enter into this illusion of this world where people can break into song and dance. That’s wonderful. I also think God Help the Girl is, to some extent, a musical for people who don’t like musicals because it’s about people who are in a band, so it’s natural for them to start singing and dancing.
On being the weird kid in school and going through an emo phase:
Alexander: I was bullied, I hung out in the art room and was really emotional, and everyone hated me. I was kind of an outsider kid. I think my character James definitely is that kid, too, and I can totally relate. When you’re younger, you’re super opinionated and your opinions form your armor, they’re your protection. James can sort of surround himself with that bubble and be like, “I’m right. Everyone else is stupid.” I definitely used to be a bit like that. James needs to lighten up, and listen to something else. I listened to Nirvana and shit like that, but I was also heavily into '90s R&B, like Destiny’s Child and Aaliyah. I wasn’t really that much of a good emo kid because I liked Destiny’s Child. [Laughs.]
But I feel like that phase is good for you. If you’re at school and you’re the really popular kid, that does not set you up well for the rest of your life because it’s unlikely that you’re going to enter your adult life being popular. You’re not going to be in the same environment. So even though I was unpopular and bullied and weird, I feel like it messed me up in a good way. [Laughs.]
Murray: The emo phase is part of being a teenager. I worked very hard in school and I cared quite a lot about getting good grades but I was very weird. I prided myself on being unusual and different. I was obsessed with the ‘60s so I kind of viewed myself as living in the wrong time period. I used to wear these vintage clothes and the other kids at my school didn’t like me very much. [Laughs.] I was very self-indulgently into this image of myself, like I used to read Ulysses during my math class.
I wanted to be this interesting person and I used to think that in order to do that you had to display it as boldly as possible. You have to wear crazy clothes and show everyone how unique and different and exciting you are. But as I’ve gotten older, I’ve relaxed a lot about that and realized that you can be an interesting person without shoving it down people’s throats. You can stand out with your work, your achievements, your ideas, without having to standout so much visually.
Tara Aquino is the Complex Pop Culture editor. She tweets here.
