On this page: ALEX WHEATLE | MODERN PERSUASION | SISTER OF THE GROOM

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The sparky cast creates vivid characters, giving performances that are relaxed and earthy. Cole invests Alex with an intensity that remains likeable even as he hangs with all the wrong people. Antics with his rowdy Brixton friends are snappy and pointed, and the scenes with Gee's eloquent and often hilarious Simeon bring the gurgling subtext roaring engagingly to the surface. Other characters have huge presence, even if they aren't on-screen long enough to register properly.

Like the other Small Axe films, this slice of London life has rarely been depicted on-screen, and McQueen skilfully rejects the stereotypes. These people are so much more than druggies or troublemakers: they're simply trying to make a life in a world that's tilted against them. So when Simeon encourages Alex to rise above that, to build his intellect and take on the system with his words, this mindful film becomes both inspirational and urgent.

themes, language, violence

3.Dec.20

Witt is likeable as Wren, providing a hint of depth as a young woman who is struggling to balance work with a personal life. No one in the flurry of supporting characters around here is remotely complex, but the actors bring a spark of attitude to each role, and the farcical romantic connections between them offer plenty of chance for flirtation. Still, none of these people feel like flesh-and-blood human beings with their own lives off-screen. And aside from Wren, everyone is eerily free of self-awareness.

The movie's chirpy tone creates a cheap and cheerful vibe that's easy to watch, even if none of the people, companies, places or events are defined in any way. The premise, about a career woman getting a second chance at love, is ripe for reinvention in this setting, so it's frustrating that the screenplay never bothers to dig beneath the pretty surface and mine the themes for either humour or meaning. So the plot's conflicts feel pushy and inorganic. But for fans of the genre, that might not be a problem.

themes, language

16.Dec.20

Performances are relaxed, giving the film a breezy tone that nicely balances the story's bleaker undercurrents. Silverstone gives Audrey a lovely complexity, a woman who can't quite accept her age, knowing that she opted to raise her children instead of build her career. Her close connections with Scott, Hoffman and Blum (as her father) are very nicely played, as is her unexpected reunion with Bewley, whose presence at the wedding raises several issues for her. And Ollivier's Clemence is superbly charming, open-hearted and cruelly oblivious.

It's intriguing to see Gross subvert the cliches of the genre, allowing the story to head down thoughtful, even downright melancholy paths. And along the way there are terrific observations on issues relating to the complex depth of family relationships, the fears that flare up as middle age approaches, and the realisation of how our choices have sent our lives in directions we never expected to go. Some of this is rather heavy handed, as is the wave of romantic sentiment in the final act. But at least it leaves us with a smile.

themes, language, violence, sexuality

16.Dec.20