Kidulthood

A bold and brave film, that never pulls any punches. A group of teenagers living very negative lives see the suicide, due to bullying of a school friend and the schools closure as an excuse for a day out the streets. Some of the characters are implicit in her fate, but refuse to see their culpability. Utterly selfish and shallow, many may think that these kids deserve nothing from society they abuse at every turn. Its adults who despise and are frightened by them are mere counterpoints throughout the film. An English version of KIDS but without the horrible voyeurism?? Do these kids deserve better from society? Do they a represent a threat to society itself? These kids may be horribly violent, disrespectful, but are incredibly believable. They cannot see outside the confined personal friendships and conflicts, but we are left with a genuine sense of loss and despair at the end of the film. A remarkable and striking British film

Kidulthood is an energetic snap shot of wasted youth in London that's flawed, but definitely interesting.

For the most part, the young cast (except for a very hammy jamie winstone) give strong, naturalistic performances-particularly noel clarke whos shocking turn as the local badman sam, will instantly make you forget clarkes "oafish boyfriend" routine on doctor who. What gives the performances a higher level of authenticity is the slang and profanity heavy dialogue that serves as an accurate representation of how the kids talk these days (you don't know how old i feel writing that!).

However the films mission to keep things as raw and gritty as possible ends up as its down fall- the script tries so hard to make the kids seem so reckless and hedonistic that the trouble they get into just gets unrealistic and shocking for the sake of being shocking after a while. Also, the story is very predictable- you will know how this one turns out , not even halfway through its running time .

Kidulthood doesn't come close to being as good as the likes of city of god or La haine, but its a well acted drama that I have to commend for trying to show a side of London that many other local films choose to ignore.

Firstly, I believe the low rating is unjustified, yet explicable because unless one has had any exposure to the kind of "feral" inner city youths depicted in this movie, then it would at times be next to impossible to understand: Over 95% of those in this movie speak the most uncultured form of English known as "Chav-speak". Even if one watched the movie with subtitles, much of what is said would be indiscernible to those outside the UK; or, dare I say, to those who are too educated to understand how society's lowliest communicate.

Thus, I firmly believe that this movie has been unjustly rated simply because US (& other)viewers could not understand much of the dialogue; and absolutely no concession has been made to simplify verbal exchanges to aid that matter. Nor should it have! That is to say, Kidulthood's writer has skilfully written a tale which is chillingly close to the bone, and every nuance perfectly reflects the gutter English which a growing underclass now understand each other by.

There are no heroes in this movie. And if you need happy endings or reasons why seemingly senseless actions happen - then look elsewhere. No character is particularly likable. And each does their best to be tougher than the next. For that is the only way to survive in such a hostile urban dystopia (which also happens to be modern Britain for many of the under-classes). The 'weak', we soon learn, have little chance of escape. For, in a culture of 'wayward misfits', the most wayward is the most different - the one who is too human and too sensitive.

Those viewers who'll have any chance of understanding the discourse, will also discover a totally amoral tale full of profoundly heartless, dislikeable, occasionally dangerous and fatally deprived youths whose future is so barren that they unwittingly must choose to churn every moment of the present into a wild ride to ultimately nowhere.

7/10. (for a disturbingly accurate, no holds barred, statement on the collapse of urban 'civilisation' as we know it. But... please don't expect to 'enjoy' this movie.)

STAR RATING: ***** The Works **** Just Misses the Mark *** That Little Bit In Between ** Lagging Behind * The Pits

When a girl who has suffered horrific bullying at school commits suicide, it leaves 15 year old Trife (Aml Ameen) and his two friends with the day off school. Trife starts the day by learning the unwanted news that his on-off girlfriend is pregnant and the baby might be his. Frustrated at hearing this, he sets off with his friends and embarks on a day of increasingly dangerous mischief. Juxtaposed with their story is that of his girlfriend, her qualms about keeping her baby and her moral free mate willing to do anything to score money and drugs. Their paths are set to collide and result in a devastating climax.

Kidulthood has that look and feel of a film out to shock (it managed a 15 certificate, but it must have only just scraped it!) If it's painting a picture of what life is really like for chavvy kids like this living on housing estates in inner-city areas, then the film manages to leave an even more downbeat and depressing taste in the mouth than it already did. It's well-acted enough, with a good lead in Ameen (who I recognized as Officer Lewis from The Bill-wouldn't have thought he'd come off as a 15 year old though) and a decent supporting cast, including an attractive presence in Madeleine Fairley (but, what can I say, a chavette's a chavvete!) It has a fine soundtrack, too, including some notable work from Mike Skinner and The Streets. It's far from a bad film, as it is, too, it's just so relentlessly bleak and with little in the way of humour and light that it never manages to come off as a truly enjoyable experience in any way. Still, it delivers what it says and more. ****

I have seen a bundle to Brit flicks that show a hyped by stylish glamorised side of London . Should be Lock Stock , or Snatch , or maybe even Notting Hill these movies have always shown the romantic side of London . However that Ladies and Gents is only the sugar coated topping , there is another world underneath that what is known to most of us who grew up on the streets of London as the real world . The director of Kidulthood does a masterful job giving us a vision of the urban hell-hole that we have all come to know ! The social issues that are highlighted in this film are spot on , whether it be the drug abuse , teenage pregnancies or the ever looming threat of the gang culture with the idiotic craze which is known as Happy slapping .We have all read about , seen it and, probably worst experienced it . Kidulthood presents to the viewer a true , grim , depiction of a life a 15 year old black teenager Trife and his life growing up in the tough neighbourhood and school where words come cheap .We are taken into his world for just 1 day and meet a whole host of characters who fit into the doomed path of life probably just like Trife . The acting was over the top brilliant to the point where to me personally it felt that it was not a film but you were watching someone's life unfold in front of you as the director chose's location's that were truly urban nitty and gritty to the point that you don't need to marvel at the breath taking scenery , you just want to focus as the story rolls along . I'm not a huge fan of Uk hip-hop but this time it seemed to fit in and add to the flavour of the film . The only drawback was that it was a little to over hyped and once or twice it did feel a bit unrealistic in some places but it stood on track and the humour was pretty funny in places as well especially with the white hoody guy. In general Kidulthood is a deep , dark , depressing look on the darker side of London's youth and by looking at it one will walk away probably wanting to take a look back at his life and see where is his or her future heading for . Kidulthood is highly recommended film by not only my-self but several other movie lovers and I shall very likely purchase this when it hits the DVD'S.

KIDULTHOOD SCORES : 8 OUT 10 FOR NOW THIS IS THE SHADOWMAN WISHING YOU ALL GOOD LUCK AND GOOD NIGHT .