This is a review of a film I've written for Spine Magazine. I went to a screening of this film last week, and it's pretty good. For my American cousins who have probably never seen a film with a black British flavour, this is the film you need to see, to get an insight into what London can really be like, and how we don't all talk the Queen's English!
The film Kidulthood reveals a world where parents are oblivious to the lives of their children and where the law of the inner-city jungle, survival of the fittest, reigns supreme.
Written by actor Noel Clarke, best known for playing Billie Piper's dozy boyfriend in Dr Who, Kidulthood follows the lives of a group of fifteen year-old inner city youths on the edge of adulthood and the precipice of fucking up their lives.
They're ripe for a couple of ASBO's as they smoke, drink, teef, take Class A drugs, and fuck their way through a day off school following the suicide of one if their classmates.
Fifteen year old Trife wants respect, and craves material things.The only male figure he respects is his drug-dealing uncle and he feels weakened by the love he feels for ex-girlfriend Alisa. The top boy among his crew, he has the respect of many of his classmates but not school bully Sam (Clarke) who disrespects him and starts the penis waving battle which quickly escalates into violence.
The language of urban London takes centre stage and blows a hole through the white-washed version presented in that other west London based film, Notting Hill. Clarke’s screenplay deals with some serious issues, and echoes the talk you hear on road, and on buses and tubes filled with schoolkids. "Oi pussyhole!” “Yeah man she's loose." "Proper ghetto". It’s Phil Redmond’s Grange Hill for the Grime generation, which is reflected in the soundtrack featuring its alma mater Dizzy Rascal.
With outstanding performances from its young actors it manages to balance its Tarantinoesque violent scenes, with a coarse street humour that makes you laugh out loud. Comparisons to City of God are outlandish, and despite it’s Evening Standard friendly content, Kidulthood is authentic and entertaining.
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10 comments:
I've been wondering recently what it's like to live in 'real' London, and if I would be OK with my kids being brought up in the capital... considering that they are quite sheltered, do you think it would be a bad idea?
London is a great city, no doubt. But, you do have to be careful, and your kids will need to gain some street knowledge. Of course you and your kids would be okay. The majority of that is down to you. You need to give them the tools, just like I give my daughter, to help them to negotiate their way through society.
My daughter seems to have got the hang of it, even though she once moaned about the fact that she was not from the ghetto which meant she couldn't curse the kids back when they did it to her. As I am from the ghetto, I was able to teach her how.
But seriously before making that kind of decision you would really need to look at the school situation, because state-wise anything good is wildy oversubscribed, and that, and what kind of accomodation you can afford will no doubt determine which area you settle in.
London is great sarah. we grew up in it. and look at us now (proper dysfunctional). a good school and a not-so-mad area will suffice.
Yes butter I've been waiting for this one. was in the gym and the kiss fm crew were on and on and on about it. didn't know you wrote for spine. good look.
Whenever I'm able, I'll check it out. I'll get a glimpse of how it is for young Londoners.
KZ
I'll look out for this one.
@Obi - I know the editor, I just do reviews. You should submit something, you're so good on the old music.
@Zed and CC - Also look o ut for Bullet Boy. These the first films that really looks at guns and youth culture that's killing kids in the cities of London and the UK. Police getting shot regular now. Two shot at Kanye's concert in Birmingham last night. And on it goes.
Have a nice break!
Nice Review about the movie.
You know what butterfly, it does not only happen in London, it happens down here in liverpool, same scenario, but with a scouse accent.
Liverpool youths are wild and out of control, you see 7 year olds smoking ciggies or even weed.
10 year old girls worrying about thier weight and wondering if they are too fat for the 14 year old boys, its a very dangerous society for the youth to grow up in. But as you said you have to be aware and give them the correct tools to handle the situation.
Kidulthood is something i will def go and see, some people i spoke to says that its not the real representation, and as you said, people who live in the UK, dont all speak the queen's english and hang out in nottinghill in gardens, its a lot deeper than that.
Hopefully I'll be able to check this out over here. It sounds like something worth hunting down.
this film is too real shit happens down here like dat evry day trust london aint all tea and scones. it aint just london it the whole of enlgand but film iz too big and it lets ppl see what its really like. this is film iz gonna be TOO big
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