Director:Â Noel Clarke
Cast: Noel Clarke,  Olivia Chenery,  Tonia Sotiropoulou,  Ashley Thomas,  Steven Cree,  Arnold Oceng,  Nick Nevern,  Jack McMullen,  Cornell John
Running Time:Â 104 mins
Rating: 15
Release Date:Â 02/09/2016
It is a common trait of film-makers that when they make something that proves successful, they expand on the original idea, move forward to create a second movie to expand the characters and storyline and create a third movie to wrap everything up.
Coppola did it with the GODFATHER saga, Christopher Nolan with the BATMAN reboot from BATMAN BEGINS to DARK KNIGHT RISES and now Noel Clarke has brought his West London urban ‘Holy Trinity’ to a close with the latest film, BROTHERHOOD, which concludes the story of Sam (Clarke), the bad boy attempting to make good.
If you are curious about Clarke’s abilities and remain unfamiliar with the previous two films in the series, ADULTHOOD and KIDULTHOOD, don’t worry too much, as BROTHERHOOD is something that does work on its own terms and is sufficiently entertaining to prove a decent diversion.
Clarke certainly shows prowess with the camera and there is an ever-evolving skill both in terms of script and direction. BROTHERHOOD’s script is very witty and savvy in terms of where these characters are who inhabit the West London context where the action primarily takes place (around Ladbroke Grove, site of the annual Notting Hill Carnival).
Like Michael Corleone in THE GODFATHER, Sam is a character who has been defined by his past actions, even as now he is a man on a mission to change his life, with a partner and two young children to support. However, a little predictably, given his background, it is only a matter of time before shadows in the past emerge to challenge his desire to make it good for the sake of his new family, often with very dark consequences laying in wait.
Even if you can’t appreciate the world which these characters inhabit, Clarke has wisely used a classic arcing narrative that wraps things up nicely, albeit a little sentimental given the level of violence and incidents personifying the rest of the trilogy of films.
Characters naturally seem a little on edge and violence is only a punch or a shotgun away. The film does reflect its setting very well with diversity the key and honesty the realism of the piece. However, Clarke has punctuated the dark violence in the film with some admittedly funny exchanges and variations on street talk (you’ll never look at a Sainsbury’s clubcard in the same way again after one funny exchange which evolves into a running gag for part of the film!).
Principally though, the main focus is the violence and conflict with which Clarke reminds the audience of what the true essence of the drama should be about.
On balance, Clarke is starting to turn a corner and I admired a lot of what I saw in the film. He certainly is moving along nicely and has a knack for economic story-telling. One hopes that he can get the chance to prove his worth in a different genre and drama setting.
All in all, it is the right time to say farewell to Sam et al and a nice way to end the trilogy of urban films.
Verdict
