Kidulthood (tbc)

Menhaj Huda, 2005, UK (90 mins)
Noel Clarke, Red Madrell, Aml Ameen

When Larry Clark’s Kids was released ten years ago, it was hailed as a ‘wake up call’, but those New York skaters seemed a million miles away from our own street youth. Finally, Britain has a cinematic snapshot of life as a teenager in Kidulthood. Screenwriter Noel Clarke (aka Mickey in Dr Who), has fashioned a story set in a single day in West London, tackling issues from suicide, to gun culture and happy-slapping,
Like many recent Britfilms, it has a TV drama quality, but it would be wrong to use the words ‘Grange’ and ‘Hill’. With its grime and hip hop soundtrack, this could happily play to the intended target audience. It’s funny and rude and will probably upset Daily Mail readers. But there’s a poignancy and a message too, which come to the fore as the film draws to a powerful finale. Philip Ilson