The Last Tree

A promising start, good acting from most of main players however the film loses its way in the middle part. Has some good moments, I can see why most people are comparing it to Moonlight. Still a good watch but could've better.

This was such a fantastic film. The score and cinematography tied in beautifully with the story and Sam Adewunmi's acting was phenomenal. Still, the sound mixing struggled in places and some shots seemed forced in unnecessarily.

Uplifting movie proving that growing up, whatever culture, especially amid violence and drugs, is never easy. Too many youngsters get lost, even when given love and attention. You can only guess and hope that a few make it, and find their purpose.

Yes it's slow, in the sense of no big explosions or high drama, but it keeps it's footing and draws you into the deeper story. A story of a young boy growing into a man and the trials and tribulations he goes through to get there. He starts off in an idyllic countryside setting, lots of friends, lots of fun outdoors, a loving Mother figure helping him learn right from wrong. His birth Mother comes to visit him and tells his foster Mother that she is working hard to get a place for herself and her son. This hits the Foster Mother hard, she loves the boy she has raised thus far and his real Mother is mostly unknown to him. His Mother comes to bring him to London, into a whole new world of strange food, strange home (with extra responsibilities), and no friends. It's the story of him trying to navigate drug dealers, bullies, and bad influences to come out with his self respect intact. I loved it. It's not for everyone maybe, but it was awesome to me. Very heartfelt and uplifting. It's a hard world he is thrown into, and don't we all know it!

Not the worst film of 2019 by any means, but not really anything too special either. There are even some shadows of "Moonlight" (2017) in this, but overall it is a fairly pedestrian tale of a dislocated lad's adjustment - not very straightforwardly - from his peaceful, fostered, life in rural Lincolnshire to the new, busy, and more aggressive urban surroundings of a London where he struggles to integrate readily. He must adapt to the pressures and temptations that brings, some of which compromise his decent and responsible upbringing. Visually, it is quite impressive and Sam Adewunmi certainly shows promise as "Femi", but otherwise it is a little too predictable and maybe could have done with some more potency in a dialogue that does rather follow the trammels.