The Beat Beneath My Feet

Chris Martin, so much to answer for. No longer does Britain’s musical youth dream of rebellion, debauchery and relentless songwriting graft. If this stultifying British indie is to be believed, they’d rather slip into a comfortable sweater, post their sub-Mumford warbling on YouTube and wait for the cash to roll in.

The wannabe arena star in question is Tom (Nicholas Galitzine), the kind of friendless high-school outsider who hides his bee-stung boyband good looks behind a pair of oversized professor-specs. Ignored by his schoolmates – especially angel-voiced object-of-affection Felix (Verity Pinter) – Tom sees a chance to improve his lot when he discovers disgraced American rock legend Steve (Luke Perry) hiding from the taxman in the flat downstairs.

Piling on the clichés like they were going out of fashion (which they did, decades ago), ‘The Beat Beneath My Feet’ throws in surly bullies, deadbeat Dads, Battles of the Bands and, of course, the unattainable blonde whose only narrative function is to fall at the hero’s feet.

Surprisingly, the film’s strongest card is Perry, who brings a genuine sense of crumpled pathos to his troubled troubadour. Then again, perhaps the role of a guy who had it all only to end up slumming it in south London isn’t so much of a stretch.