This movie is something I haven't seen since the 90's. This genre of movie started with Boyz 'n the Hood and continued with Menace to Society, South Central, Juice and others. They were movies that chronicled the gritty and real life of the hood.
This movie, like its predecessors, is so bitter sweet. It's bitter because of the morose almost hopeless nature of the film that just weighs heavily on your conscious and your heart. But it's sweet because it was done so well... almost too well.
This is a movie that I have to be in the proper mood to watch. This is not a movie for mindless entertainment. No, I have to mentally and emotionally prepare myself for what I'm about to see. I have to do mental and emotional exercises because it's that heavy.
For those who are unaware of the difficulty of an ex-con trying to reform and go straight then watch Imperial Dreams. Bambi (John Boyega) is a felon that wants to now lead a normal life raising his son. He's met with one social or legal obstacle after the other in his daily struggle to be right and do right. It is an emotional roller coaster for the viewer as you witness his daily grind.
Boyega was good. Glenn Plummer--playing Bambi's uncle and no stranger to these types of movies--was fantastic. The script and plot was fairly simple but so poignant. Like I said, a heavy movie, so please sit in a reinforced seat before watching.