Small Axe - Mangrove (2020) Review 

So I recently watched Lovers Rock which is the second film in the Small Axe collection on BBC and now I have gone back and watched the first film Mangrove and here is my review for it. The premise of the film is based on real events and sees a group of black people put on trial after a clash with racially charged British police. 

Main Character

Shaun Parkes plays Frank and he is fantastic here, he is the head of the Mangrove restaurant and his character is really interesting. His character has really interesting motivations, you see he is fed up of the police force but he maybe isn't as militant as some of the other characters and it provides fascinating dynamics and he knocks it out of the park. Letitia Wright is a truly phenomenal young actor and she plays the more militant member of the crew and she is so great and delivers such passion here. I mean she is a big name after her appearance in the Black Panther and Avengers films but I think she can be one of the biggest stars around for years and years around and this is probably the best I have ever seen her yet and that is saying a lot. 

Supporting Characters

Malachi Kirby is the third of the main people in the Mangrove 9 and he also gives a great performance, he has a speech towards the end of the film and it is so good and really hits you and credit has to go to him for how great his performance is here and these three in particular give some of the best performances of 2020. Jack Lowden who I first saw in Fighting With My Family plays a lawyer that helps the group out and he is a real nice addition to the cast, he has plenty of charm but he is used in an appropriate way, he doesn't overshadow the main cast but is a good addition here. Sam Spruell plays the main police officer and I thought he also did a great job, he is so disgusting to watch and you just see the lengths that these officers go to just because of racial hate and it makes him an antagonist you just want to hate. Overall, everybody does a great job in the cast and this is one of the best acted films of the year for sure. 

Story

The story is really impactful, you see the injustice that goes on with this society and it just feels very real. The first half of the film does an effective job in setting up the situation that these characters are in and the real brutality of the situation involving the police and these people due to the colour of there skin. The second half of the film is set in the courtroom and I really love these sequences, it shows the injustice in more of a casual way, which makes it even worse. To me these scenes are more uncomfortable as you just see how corrupt the system is and how it affects real people. The film has a great ending and is a real uplifting ending to a really important story. 

Script

The script is really well written, the dialogue is obviously really serious and really strong in terms of the abusive language that it tells and shows, but it feels appropriate and never oversteps the line and uses it for no reason. But also credit to the script that this film does have some funny moments and character moments that make you care and make you want to see The Mangrove 9 succeed. 

Style

As I have mentioned the film has quite a brutal style, not hiding away from the real brutality that has been seen in the past and it uses it affectively and in a way that is pretty respectful. The one criticism and literally the only one is the pacing for me was a bit slow at first, it takes a bit of time to get going but for me it is a valid criticism that bought the film down a tiny bit for me. 

Overall

Overall, this is a fantastic film that really conveys its subject matter appropriately and is effective. This is one of the best films of 2020 with amazing performances and if the rest of the Small Axe films can achieve levels like this then I am on board. 

Rating - 9/10