Kidulthood

Written By Noel Clarke, directed and produced by Menhaj Huda.

Kidulthood is a gritty, potent, evocative film set in West London. The story unfolds after a young girl; a victim of bullying commits suicide, it follows the activities if the two main characters Trife (Aml Ameen) and Alisa (Red Mandrell) and their friends on their day off school following the suicide. The film explores the happy slap culture of underage sex, drugs, pregnancy and violence. Although it may seem rather extreme for a 24 hour period the film does reflect inner city urban life, parts of it definitely reminded me of my school days.

As the story unfolds you witness Trife's turmoil, his confusion over what path to pick in life, his friends and his pregnant ex-girl friend or the dark underground life that his uncle leads of drugs and guns. Alisa's turmoil over her unplanned pregnancy also unfolds and both characters are simultaneously thrown into a whirl wind of emotions and loneliness. There is a slight voyeuristic feel when you witness the girls using sex as a bartereing tool in order to score some drugs, but again this reflects the way that sex has become a commodity and for some teenagers doesn't have an emotional value- sex is just sex, and worth whatever you can get for it.

The soundtrack is cohesive with the issues in this film, with the likes of The Streets, Wiley and Shystie being used, the grimey music reflects the issues of the urban inner city youth successfully. I think one of the most successful parts of the film is where both Trife and Alisa are walking on their own simultaneously through the dark high street, the film is slowed down and the camera angle is changed to the first person point of view. This emphasises the characters' emotions reinforcing the sense of empathy.

I think it successfully reflects some of the issues that teenagers face in today's society.