Rocks

If you only go to the cinema once during lock-down make sure that this is the film that you see. A wonderful film with an astonishing performance from Bucky Bakray as the title character.

My Review- Rocks The most nominated movie at the BAFTAS this year with 7 nominations in all. My Rating 7.5 :10 I won't mention the major films that have been snubbed at the new look Politically correct BAFTAS this year except to say that this Independent "Indie" film "Rocks" budget wouldn't even have paid for the catering van on a Blockbuster or mainstream Studio movie The director, of "Rocks"Sarah Gavron's last film, 2015's Suffragette, featured a star-studded cast and reasonably-sized budget. "Rocks" . Sarah Gavron spent a couple of years securing funding, Gavron and her producer Faye Ward eventually secured £3 million - This is a heartfelt contemporary story it could have been alternately titled "The Kids Aren't Alright." Shola (Bukky Bakray), or Rocks, as she's known, lives in a London council flat with her younger brother Emmanuel (D'angelou Osei Kissiedu) and their single mother. Bukky Bakray is nominated for a Best Actress BAFTA and she is wonderful in her role as Emmanuel's protector after her mentally stressed Mum leaves a note to say she has to leave them to "fix her head" Rocks comes home to find her life radically altered: she is suddenly on her own with a child to take care of. Rocks is mercurial, impulsive, and deeply sensitive - not unusual for her age, she sometimes makes desperately poor decisions, for what look to her like good reasons. This leads to misunderstandings with her best friend Sumatra played beautifully by Kosar Ali (nominated for Best Supporting Actress BAFTA ) and basically taking to the streets with brother Emmanuel . I'm amazed that D'angelou Osie Kidsedou didn't get a nomination for Best Supporting Actor he really gives a splendid performance. The film premiered at the 2019 Toronto International Film Festival in the Platform Prize program and hasn't really been noticed by any of the major Awards up till this years BAFTAS and I predict in the BAFTAS new Culturally diverse culture that "Rocks" will Rock at this year's Ceremony.

This film is like every great film - multi-faceted, which means it has resonance that is almost universal. It's about a black girl. It's multi-racial. It's about children born of recent immigrant families. It's about coming of age. It's about being a girl. It's about mental health with limited support for families affected. It's about a brother and sister. It's about working classes. It's urban. It's London. It's Hackney. It's amazing and the story of Rocks and Emmanuel made me cry.

I chose the girl's story for personal resonance because girls on the verge of adulthood with talents, ambitions and dreams fire the film.

Rocks is British. Her grandma is Nigerian. Her mother troubled. She has a younger brother who loves dinosaurs and who has the lines that are the emotional heart of the film. "Close your eyes and think of everything that makes you happy. Keep breathing in and out." He says this when his sister and him are displaced to a grubby hotel as she tries to keep them together in their mother's absence and with Social Services looking to find them.

Before her mum leaves Rocks was able to live as a normal teenager with a group of friends I loved and envied. After her mum leaves the friendships are challenged and the challenges are coming of age, as maturity replaces innocence.

I have no more of the story to relate because it is the characterisation and superb acting that brings everything alive. Just has to be seen.

Movie night with Iris.

Despite the terrible circumstances upbeat tale of a steady and immutable young woman. This is the most authentic film about British teens in years.

The events of Rocks are tragic, but the film (like its heroine) refuses to get dragged down by despair. Rocks is a heartfelt testament to the resilience of our young sisterhood.

Rocks is the story of a young teenage girl in London who finds herself struggling to take care of herself and her younger brother after being abandoned by their single mother with no choice but to live out on the streets or with friends .

I love working class British films that depict struggle and hardship . It's the reason why Ken Loach is one of my favourite directors. This is a multi BAFTA nominated film that's actually been around since 2019 but because we are going through a period where Woman and Diversity are being picked by all awards associations it's taken it's time to be recognised.

I have to admit that at first , the characters really annoyed me . The way they acted and spoke was so far away from what I'm used to , I found them all irritating but then something happened . The longer the film went on and more became invested in the struggles of Rocks and her brother , the more I warmed to them .

The acting is really good . Especially from Bukky Bakray . Her brother played by D'angelou Osei Kissiedu is very good as well , I couldn't help be be really impressed with them . While I enjoyed the film , I'm not sure , under any other circumstances ( Covid and the new diversity policy) it would be good enough to be up for so many BAFTAs but good luck to them anyway.

Rocks is available on Netflix.