The Street

As a run-of-a-mill portrayal of a London community undergoing gentrification, this is a good stab. Unfortunately, it gets caught up in the story it decided to tell before gathering materials: the working-class community are worthy but floored, the gentrifiers are good when they're European but bad when they're capitalists, etc. A bunch of scenes (e.g. the artist in the PR agency) appear scripted to no purpose, and some pretty relevant facts (e.g. the garage mechanic being 'pushed out' but profiting from the sale of his property beyond any prospects of his run-down, eye-sore premises) are left out. Which is a pity, because the nuance (still visible in much of the film) is what's interesting.

As good a picture of England pre and post Brexit as I've seen in doc form (or scripted, for that matter) - unvarnished. Added bonus is the film finds time to introduce us to some fascinating characters, whether you agree with them or not. Film-maker deserves kudos for getting so many people, of all stripes, to speak so frankly.

Some reviewers on here seem to think the film is a celebration of xenophobia or a pro-EU propoganda piece. These people have missed the point. It is not even entirely about condemning the property developers and new businesses that are changing the street that older residents have known and loved for many years. It is about the impact of often bewildering change and how it impacts the people who have to live with the consequences. They speak in their own words which may be a bit racist or non-PC in other ways, but the tone remains authentic. It is not scripted or polished and is all the better for it. Many of the stories being told are almost heartbreaking as they unfold on camera (Colleen and Serge's are especially poignant).

The photography is almost elegiac in tone focusing on what is disappearing even as the film is made. The constant contrast between the height of the new builds and their penthouse 'king of the world' vistas versus the sadness and humanity at street level is beautifully captured. A lovely and sad film.

Beautifully shot. Does a great job at getting across the atmosphere of the area and the people that live there. A glips into the lives of those who are often forgotten.

The editing and cinematography were pretty bad. The narrative was convuluted, nevertheless, hearing these different perspectives reveals a representative reaction to Brexit and an awareness made to the locals who are 'losing' their home.