100 Streets

Despite a good cast who do their best the story is pretty weak and moves along very slowly. I'm usually a big fan of Idris Elba and Gemma Arterton but even they couldn't light it up.

Although this intense British drama is not for everyone, I felt it does offer some rewards if one sticks with it. It depicts various interconnected stories of Londoners and a roller coaster of human lives and emotions. The film can be dark and violent at times, but it can also be quite touching and uplifting as well.

Most of the characters here are flawed in one way or another, but I thought the ensemble cast portrayals were top notch. The director Jim O'Hanlon and screenwriter Leon F. Butler are making their feature film debuts here, but O'Hanlon does have extensive writing experience in television.

To note, this is an adult drama with explicit language throughout, one fairly explicit sex scene, drug and alcohol usage on screen, and one brief scene of nudity. I also should mention I had to use the subtitles here due to thick accents and slang usage.

Overall, this indie can be very uncomfortable to watch at times but I felt there are rewards here if the viewer sticks with it.

Review: This is a decent films, about 3 different situations, which spiral out of control, on the streets of London. Idris Elba plays a successful ex-England captain, who is forced to leave the family home after his wife, Emily (Gemma Arterton), finds out about his various affairs and wild party life. Without his wife by his side, he soon becomes lonely, and he misses his 2 young kids, so he tries his utmost to rekindle his damaged relationship with his wife, who is in two minds. The second story is about a young teenager, Kingsley (Franz Drameh), who sells drugs whilst living on a council estate with his mother and sister but he craves a new life on stage, with his poetry. When he bumps into Terence (Ken Scott), whilst doing community service, they soon becomes friends, even though they come from 2 completely different worlds. Terence points Kingsley in the right direction for a better life but he is dragged down by his criminal surroundings. The final story is about a taxi driver, George (Charlie Creed-Miles), who is trying to adopt a child with his girlfriend Kathy (Kierston Wareing). After George runs over a cyclist, he becomes a recluse, which puts a strain on his relationship and there abilities to become parents. I did find the movie quite entertaining and the performances were believable but it's not the type of film that you would watch twice. I didn't really see the point of the taxi driver story, and I thought the director would have joined the various stories together but with that aside, it's a watchable movie which covers many different elements. Idris Elba did stand out from the rest, especially when he suffered his breakdown but I found it quite predictable and the storyline wasn't that original. Average!

Round-Up: This movie was directed by Jim O'Hanlon, 46, who has directed mostly for TV. Some of the programs include Coronation Street, Bad Girls, The Bill, Casualty, Walking The Dead and Shameless but this is his first movie that was made for the big screen. Now that Idris Elba has become a worldwide star, I'm sure that the director felt lucky to get him on board for this project, which was why he gave him the most emotional role. It still felt like it was made for TV but with such a low budget, the director done a decent job.

Budget: £3million Worldwide Gross: N/A

I recommend this movie to people who are into their dramas, starring Gemma Arterton, Idris Elba, Tom Cullen, Kierston Wareing, Ken Scott, Charlie Creed-Miles and Ryan Gage. 4/10

Right, so this is a sappy film. But, not cause of the acting in my opinion. Looks at the choices people make and how they deal with the realities that life presents them. The acting is good all around. Idris, Gemma, Franz Drameh and Ryan Gage put in good performances. Yes, it's stereotypical and predictable. The stories do not intersect are separate stories taking place at the same time. What throws it off and makes it sappy is the writing and the score/music. Seeing as Idriss Elba was the music supervisor this is kind of disappointing. I know his music chops are strong but the music made the whole film melodramatic. This is what gives it the syrupy feel. The screenplay is not interesting at all and presents characters in a particular light with little context. It's a good idea for a film, whose story structure has been done before. It lacks more the depth in writing to really draw you deep into the characters whose lives are on edge.

Netflix suggested I watch this after seeing 'Brighton Rock' and I can see why. The intensity of the characters' demise and their struggle to make sense of what happens makes for compelling viewing.The setting is everything, from the local football club to Battersea Bridge and all streets in between. While the characters don't cross over too much (which might make it a bit of a soap opera) they make subtle references which keeps the viewer guessing. I guess the theme is around disintegration and how we all cope when things seem to deteriorate. A really absorbing film, well worth a watch.