Absolute Beginners is a 1986 British musical film adapted from Colin MacInnes' book about life in late 1950s London, directed by Julien Temple.

The film stars Eddie O' Connell, Patsy Kensit, James Fox, Edward Tudor-Pole, Anita Morris, and David Bowie, with featured appearances by Sade Adu, Ray Davies, and Steven Berkoff.

[4] It received coverage in the British media but was panned by critics and became a box office failure, although modern reviews have been more favourable.

To make money, he gets a job with music producer Harry Charms, taking photos of new teen idol Baby Boom.

Meanwhile, the Teddy Boy subculture is increasingly hostile towards Black residents in London, spurred by the recent rise in immigration.

The White Defence League, led by the Fanatic, preaches fascist politics and is vehemently against the increasing ethnic diversity of London.

It lacks drive in terms of plot, and largely concerns the central characters views on the world, about jazz, pop stars, television, advertising and so on.

Goldcrest guaranteed any cost overruns[11] Christopher Wicking was hired to do a version of the script which he said "had some sort of propulsion from one scene to the next".

"[13] Eddie O'Connell and Patsy Kensit were relative unknowns when cast for the film and, according to Julien Temple in a 2016 interview (included on the re-released DVD/Blu-Ray), neither got on with each other pretty well.

Ed Tudor-Pole (playing teddyboy 'Ed The Ted') had met Temple through his work on The Great Rock 'N' Roll Swindle.

Broadway star Anita Morris had appeared in Temple's promo for The Rolling Stones' "She Was Hot" whilst Eve Ferret had co-starred as a receptionist in Jazzin' for Blue Jean.

[15] Angus Finney, in his history of Palace Films, wrote the movie "is perhaps best remembered as an extraordinary British marketing phenomenon.

Newspapers, magazines, cartoons, radio chat shows, a South Bank television special, and all other ways of promoting the movie were pursued relentlessly.

Phil Symes and Angie Errigo worked long hours to ensure the film maximum publicity coverage.

Other musicians like Bowie, Billy Idol, Whitney Houston and Blur (amongst others) would keep Temple's career in music video directing ongoing.

[19] The New York Times film critic Caryn James remarked upon the "unevenness" of Temple's adaptation and its "erratic" results.

[21] Jeremy Allen in The Guardian praised Bowie's theme song but described the film as "an overbudget turkey of huge proportions".

[23] Alex Stewart reviewed Absolute Beginners for White Dwarf #79, and stated that "It's glossy, slick and superficial, with a couple of nods towards Social Significance which stand out almost as awkwardly as the stumps of the subplots that ended up on the cutting-room floor.

On the other hand the singing and dancing are quite nice, the climax looks uncannily like Quatermass and the Pit set to music, and the grossly over-hyped Patsy Kensit duly meets a most satisfying nemesis by turning in a performance that would have disgraced an episode of Thunderbirds.

"[27] Absolute Beginners: The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack was concurrently released to promote the film, and the musical score was composed by Gil Evans.