Kidulthood (2006)

Although it has its amusing moments, in eneral the plot does not convince.

The movie is wonderful and true, an act of love in all its contradictions and complexity

There are moments that feel comical, some horrific, and some downright inspiring but the tonal shifts hardly matter as the end results come to a film that's perfect for this time.

The tone of this movie is interesting -- the stakes are both dramatic and high, but it's balanced with a lot of fun, tongue and cheek dialogue.

Kidulthood is a film that took me by a surprise considering it is a British film I didn't have much hope even though I am British I find that I just don't seem to enjoy British films as much as American it could be the way I man raised of it could just be that British films are bad I don't know but anyway Kidulthood really shocked me the film is very gripping and bring you a truthful insight on the life of London teenagers in more rough areas. The ending is also a tear jerker and really affective in getting the harsh realitys of that lifestyle across. All the cast plays there roles very well and believable and they all have important parts in the film. This film is very popular we're I live because it unfortunately almost relates to the area I live in. All though the film is abit depressing it's truthful and will keep you entertained to find out more & more.

I was lucky to catch this on BBC Three a couple of weeks ago... it was worth it! The writing can go from funny and menace and then to sorrow and sadness. It packs-a-punch. The three best performances of the film are from Aml Ameen (Trife), Jaime Winstone (Becky) and the writer himself, Noel Clarke (Sam). Ameen's character goes through a range of different emotions throughout the whole film, and Ameen does well to capture this. Winstone is brilliant as a girl who does not know how to respect her body and Clarke gives a menacing performance as the school bully. The rest of the cast led by newcomers Adam Deacon, Femi Oyeniran, Cornell John and Red Madrell, but also contains some famous faces (Rafe Spall, Nicholas Hoult, ex-CBBC presenter and presenter of The Gadget Show, Ortis Deley and John Simm's wife, Kate McGowan) is a brilliant cast that is full of different actors from different backgrounds, which is what makes Kidulthood stand out... because it has diversity! Kidulthood is a harrowing look at the lives of young children in the UK and what they go through. You will not regret this.

While this is a excellent piece of film, there are many problems with the film that can be seen, and especially by adults who work with young people.1) My main criticism of this film is that it often sensationalises the issues that are faced by todays young people. The violence is over the top and at times the film is just too negative of todays generation of young people. Most of the characters are extremes and there is a lack of young people in the film that a wider audience can relate to. This is a film full of shock value. 2) The film also refuses to delve into the lives of the young people and why they act the way they do. It is a real disservice to young people who are facing these problems in reality. I'm sure there are loads of family Issues and wider problems. It would be nice to see a film that gives a balanced view of young black youth - a film that doesn't portray all of them as wannabe thugs and gangsters. This film just seems to want to shock the viewer with the acts that all these young people get up to.3) I like the music, but I feel at times the director could have been more adventurous with the soundtrack and surprised us instead of just putting in all the UK grime and hip-hop that the audience expect (there is some pretty decent underground tracks featured though.4) There is a lack of storyline. With everything these kids get up to you just get lost and wonder what the story is again.5) The same bad white people and poor misjudged black kids storyline. Things are deeper than that and it would be good if things were more complex.6) This film often has the reverse effect that it wants to have on the people it is portraying. It at times glamorises the lifestyle of these young people. It tries to shock kids into disapproving of the lifestyles of these on-screen young people and fails.

A gritty but very real sketch of life as a teen in London. As a born-and-raised Londoner myself, it was refreshing to watch such a true portrayal of what it is like on the streets of the city as a teenager, struggling through 'kidulthood'.The characters were so real that I recognised many from my own teen years, and the acting was just effortlessly accurate. The filming & visuals of London made me feel at home and strangely proud of the city I call home - maybe because it's so stunning visually despite the hard-hitting reality the film portrays. The soundtracks are all great and relevant to the film, my favourite artist on the audio being the talented Shystie.Overall, the film follows the lives of troubled youngsters, including 3 best friends Trife, Jay and Moony. They may look like your average hooded chavs but when you watch them on-screen, you see life through their eyes & see their story: being a teen isn't easy, and sometimes adults forget that.This film takes you through an epic and often hilarious journey through these young lives as they each make decisions and choices to define who they are. Hard-hitting, this is not one for those who prefer sugar-coated movies, but it is a rare gem that tells it like it is without pulling any punches. It definitely leaves a haunting message with the viewer that makes them question life, youth and the society around we live in.Hats off to Noel Clarke for his excellent work with this masterpiece.