Small Axe - Education (2020) Review

After 5 weeks of films we are finally here for the final film in Director Steve McQueen's Small Axe collection Education and here is my review for it. The premise of the film sees a black school child who is struggling sent to a school for special needs despite having any special learning needs. 

Main Character

Youngster Kenyah Sandy plays Kingsley our main character here and I thought he did a good job. I felt sorry for Stanley, you see he struggles with school and he doesn't exactly have the best role models and influences in teachers and friends so you want him to really get better in terms of both. You see how he is being stalled because of the lack of aid and Sandy does a really good job in showing how Kingsley is bright and if steered on the right path can achieve good things and he just needs help. 

Supporting Characters

The rest of the cast are also good in this film. Sharlene Whyte is really good as his mother and the whole of the family are really interesting and feel like a really close family. You like these people and support the cause that they are fighting for and it really helps in making this film feel better then some of the other Small Axe films. 

Story 

The story is handled well, you do really sympathise with Kingsley and want to see him succeed in his life and during this film. As the film goes on you see how this whole situation affects him and it just isn't fair to see this child suffer for not really any reason other then the fact he is Black and the film does a good job with that. But this film seems to skip over some of the crucial plot points, the film looks at the institutional racism but not enough and it feels like a background thing and the film just rushes through it towards a slower end. 

Script

The script is okay it has some decent humour and drama, I thought the chemistry between Kingsley and his sister was fun to watch and a nice part of the film. But the film doesn't really ever hit the levels that you expect from the narrative, again I feel like if the film was longer it would have had the chance to do this but it missed its chance really. 

Style 

The film's style feels pretty gritty and real. You see the situation that Kingsley is in and it really makes it feel like he is having his young life taken away from him and it feels pretty serious and the way the film is made reflects that. But then again this film is way too short, I felt like this film needed a length similar to Mangrove to fully tell its story and really add depth and context to the film and really rise it to the next level. 

Overall

Overall, this is a good film that looks how these serious subject can affect children and how it can affect their lives. It has its flaws but is a decent experience and is only an hour long so won't take too much of your time to watch. 

Rating - 7/10 

Small Axe - Alex Wheatle (2020) Review

So we are almost at the end of the Small Axe series with the penultimate film Alex Wheatle and here is my review for it. The premise of the film follows the story of Alex Wheatle as he goes from a child to young man who ends up in trouble with the law. 

Main Character

Similar to Lovers Rock this films main character is played by an unknown, Alex Wheatle is played by Sheyi Cole and he does an okay job here. I actually think he shows enough to tell me that we will see more of him and he shows some charm here which is pretty impressive considering this is his first thing ever. I am sure in real life Alex Wheatle was an important and impressive person but this film fails to tell you that, there is nothing interesting about Alex and it makes you not care about this entire film. I mean the film is literally named after him but could I tell you anything distinctive and interesting about his character, I mean no I couldn't and that hurts this film that doesn't really do anything with anybody else. 

Supporting Characters

The supporting cast isn't really filled with any interesting characters but it has some young actors and actresses who fit nicely into the film and are nice to watch, but they are not given anything to do and it doesn't help flesh out this story or the people around Alex. 

Story

The story also doesn't do much for me, I mean this man is known for being really into his literature but you never see him write anything so what is the point. It introduces some interesting ideas and concepts but fails to capitalise on any of them, it goes through his life but never shows anything in particular detail to draw you in and keep you invested. 

Script 

The script is okay, it does show some pretty intense dialogue and moments and makes you feel a bit uncomfortable, I also chuckled a few times. But this films layout of the story structure is really bad and it hurts the flow of the film and it doesn't do enough to rise it to the levels of other films similar to this. 

Style

The style of these Small Axe films are very similar and this one is no different, it shows off the culture and environment around this person and does a decent job of it. But the issue is, apart from Mangrove these films have been pretty short and it kind of feels like you aren't watching a proper movie, it also doesn't help that the film is slow and takes way too long to get going. 

Overall

Overall, this is a below average film that is more like Lovers Rock then Mangrove. Again if you are watching Small Axe this is one that you can give a skip too. 

Rating - 4/10 

Small Axe - Red, White and Blue (2020) Review 

So another week and another film from The Small Axe collection called Red, White & Blue, and I have watched it and here is my review for it. The premise is based on a true story where a Black man sees his Father get assaulted by police officers, which motivates him to join the Police Force and attempt to change the racist attitudes from within. 

Main Character

John Boyega has been in the news a lot this year for important subject matters and he is fantastic here and you can just tell he has lots of passion for this role. He delivers a really strong performance and you really want to support him and see him succeed in his mission which is very just and very deserved in terms with his overall goal. 

Supporting Characters

Steve Toussaint plays his Father in the film and he is really good here, there is an incredibly powerful scene involving him and he is great in this film, the relationship between him and Boyega is portrayed in a very strong way and it is part of the lifeblood of the film. The rest of the cast are great too, everyone whether it be family, friends or the other police officers everybody delivers a really strong and real performance. 

Story

The story does what it intends to, it highlights just how bad things got in the British Police Force in The UK and it does a good job of following this one man on his crusade. I actually thought this film did a really good job in not having every white person be racist, yes there are bad people but there are also good people and that isn't always highlighted and I am glad it is here. I also really liked how when Boyega's character joins the Police, his position changes in the Black community which again isn't something that is explored to often. But this film does have a few plot points that aren't finished off and feel a bit tacked on and the film ends really abruptly and you are kind of left unfulfilled. 

Script

The script is quite good, the script does a good job of putting in the casual racism elements to not make it in your face all the time, also this film does have some nice bits of humour and touching moments to help flesh out a couple of characters. But the script does a bit of a poorer job of balancing the plot lines and I felt like even though the film does the casual racist stuff well, it never hits the dark levels that you would expect especially when you consider Mangrove is in the Small Axe collection too. 

Style 

The film has a good style to it, it just feels very real and authentic in how it is told and deals with the subject matter in a respectful but powerful way. But this film is a bit slow in its pacing, especially in its first act which really takes its time. Also this film has a bit of a timing issue, he literally joins the police and then one scene later he is looking for a promotion, it just seems like a lot happens off screen and the film could have done with a longer runtime like Mangrove in order to tell its full story. 

Overall

Overall, this film is a good addition to The Small Axe collection and is a strong showing for John Boyega in a solid film. I would say this film is worth a watch, but watch Mangrove first as I feel like the two films are good comparison pieces. 

Rating - 7/10

 

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

Small Axe - Lovers Rock (2020) Review

So I was wondering how exactly to review the Small Axe Anthology that is happening on BBC right now, but due to this being a collection of films I decided to review each film separately and give my thoughts on each one with its own merits. So I decided to start with the 2nd film in the series Lovers Rock and here is my review for it. The premise of the film sees a house party take place in West London looking at different relationships between the people there. 

Main Character

Amarah-Jae St Aubyn is a completely new actress, this film is the first credit to her name and she is good here, she is easily the most likeable character here and the one we see the film through and she just wants to have a fun time at this party when things happen out if her control. Though I think, the whole idea of the film doesn't help, she isn't really given much in terms of development, the film just shows her at a party dealing with boys mainly and it didn't allow her to really flex any acting muscles, but a good start to her acting career. 

Supporting Characters 

The same can be said for the supporting cast, Micheal Ward plays the main supporting character Franklyn and he does a fine job, with most of his scenes coming with Aubyn and they have decent chemistry together. Though like all the cast, the supporting characters, though showing talent are given pretty much nothing to do and little development which does hold the film back. 

Story 

Lets be truly honest there is no story here to speak of, it is just a film that looks at a group of peoples lives, with a few scenes of discomfort but there is nothing to explain here and for me it hurt the film. You are never given a chance to learn anything about the characters, they are just random people and you do wonder for a bit why you should care and why you should really get invested in the characters in the film. 

Script

The script is functional, there is an okay amount of drama between the people, that could probably be expected for a party and a few chuckles but there is nothing memorable about this script and apart from one of two moments doesn't do enough to hit the levels. 

Style

The style is also okay, I must say in 2020 it is nice seeing a party of people enjoying themselves without worrying about a pandemic and there is some pretty cool amount of music. But this film is really slow in its pacing, it also shows some bad things like racism and rape, but barely looks at it, it could be looked at like that was the point, but it also made it feel a bit pointless and like why did they even bother with it. 

Overall

Overall, this for me was a below average film, with some talented performers, but nothing happens in this film. It doesn't really have much of a message or purpose, so I would say this is one you can skip. 

Rating - 4/10