SMALL AXE Provides an EDUCATION

 Article first published as TV Review: SMALL AXE EDUCATION on Seat42F.

It is with no small amount of sadness that we reach the end of the five-film run of SMALL AXE. That is due in part to the fact that the final movie in the series, EDUCATION, is one of my favorite two of the group. (The other being the very first one.) As someone that worked in the field of education, I admit that I am extra susceptible to such stories. But I dare anyone to watch SMALL AXE EDUCATION and not be affected by the tale told.

Kingsley Smith (Kenyah Sandy, Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey) appears to be a normal twelve-year-old boy except for two things. One, he can’t read. Two, he is Black. You could easily argue the second item on that list is not abnormal, and I would whole-heartedly agree with you. But clearly the administrators in his place of learning do not. They don’t even seem to notice his illiteracy and push him out of the regular school and into a ‘special’ institution for ‘subnormal’ learners. They make excuses as to why Kingsley must be transferred, but it’s very clear to anyone paying attention this his skin color is the primary motivator, given his behavior is not any different than his peers.

Which is not to say that all the students at Kingsley’s new school are non-white. There’s a little girl (Tabitha Byron, Hetty Feather) that makes animals noises instead of talking, and perhaps she does need some assistance outside of a regular classroom, though certainly not what this place is offering. And Kingsley isn’t helped by the move, either. No kid is, as if a teacher supervises their room at all, he’s playing on his guitar instead of providing instruction. This is a bad place that benefits no one.

Lest you think Kingsley does belong in a special education class due to his lack of reading skills (and setting aside any judgment, positive or negative, on special education), SMALL AXE EDUCATION follows Kingsley’s story long enough to show that a little attention, encouragement, and motivation are enough to have him catching up in no time. This is a regular kid who fell through the cracks, the normal failings of educators to him exacerbated by bigotry and ignorance. He belongs in a regular classroom in a public school.

I’m a believer that every child deserves to have a teacher who can help them learn, and every child can learn. So SMALL EDUCATION breaks my heart before providing a far-from-perfect, but very touching, balm. There is a happy ending, of a sort.

The performances in SMALL AXE EDUCATION are great, as one would expect from this series. Sandy is absolutely terrific in the lead role, and I hope he has a long acting career ahead of him. I was also deeply moved by Sharlene Whyte (The Story of Tracy Beaker) who plays Kingsley’s mother, Agnes. At first, Agnes is one of those failing Kingsley. But she does care very deeply for her son, learns her lesson, and becomes not just an advocate, but a devotee who sees Kingsley for what he is, eventually. It’s her face at the end that brings me to tears as much the story itself.

As has been the case in every installment of SMALL AXE, the production is terrific, directing is solid, and sets and costumes are period-authentic in a non-distracting way. This is a fine entry, and ends the run on a very high note, making me miss SMALL AXE already. I really hope it comes back for a second season.

SMALL AXE EDUCATION and the other four films by Steven McQueen are available now on Amazon Prime.

SMALL AXE ALEX WHEATLE

 Article first published as TV Review: SMALL AXE ALEX WHEATLE on Seat42F.

The fourth installment in the SMALL AXE film series by Steven McQueen is ALEX WHEATLE. It’s a true story, told non-chronologically, of Alex, a kid abandoned by his parents. Alex grew up in a children’s home and was subjected to abuse. He finally finds a family of friends in his teenage years (though they do lead him to the wrong side of the law), and then he ends up in jail following the Brixton riots of 1981. It’s a rags-to not quite riches-to prison story that is alternatingly inspiring and depressing. Kind of unfortunately, the audience knows it will not have a happy end.

Or will it? Alex himself is well-known writer now, so clearly he had a rich life after his stint behind bars. But that isn’t the focus of this movie, nor part of the narrative presented her.

Early on, because the episode is told in jumbled order, we see Alex (the first credit for Sheryi Cole) in a cell. He’s angry, and justifiable so, as we’ll come to find out. Alex reluctantly tells of his past, which he doesn’t consider a story, to cellmate Simeon (Robbie Fee, Berlin Station). It’s through this that we get an account of Alex’s life so far, his short eighteen years, most of them tragic. Thank goodness for a wise cellmate who helps Alex realize who he should be.

I said last week’s entry was small and focused, centering on a father and son. SMALL AXE ALEX WHEATLE is even more so, concerned with the life of a single individual, and mostly covering just a short period in his life. It’s a pivotal moment, one which defines his path forward. But it is just a small snapshot into a much larger existence.

I find it kind of curious that SMALL AXE ALEX WHEATLE doesn’t run much into a second hour, never showing us what Alex becomes on the other side of prison. Other SMALL AXE movies are focused, too, but often show longer periods. That after-life is much more well-known, and certainly the bigger part of him. But it’s also a bold choice to home in on something monumental, and it is doubtful that any single event later will ever measure up to what this film chooses to show. In a series that is becoming known for the decisions director and co-writer Steven McQueen makes, this may be one of the most important.

SMALL AXE ALEX WHEATLE was in the bottom half for me of the four installments I’ve viewed thus far. It’s still very good, and Cole, who basically has to carry the whole thing himself, is quite talented. I just found the story a little less compelling than the Mangrove restaurant and trial, or the father-son cop conflict, though maybe a bit more moving than the single-night dance party. I still think ALEX WHEATLE is a tale worth telling, and it looks and sounds just as great as the others. But while the catharsis of change is powerful, and there are moments that stick with you (such as a disturbing one involving a sheet), it is overall more specific to an individual and less relatable than other films in the series.

Still, it’s a worthy inclusion in the series, and McQueen once again proves why he deserves to keep making films such as these. On the strength of this run, I hope SMALL AXE is picked up for a second batch as soon as possible, and I look forward very much to reviewing the final of his five releases.

SMALL AXE ALEX WHEATLE is available now on Amazon Prime streaming video.

SMALL AXE RED, WHITE AND BLUE

 Article first published as TV Review: SMALL AXE RED, WHITE AND BLUE on Seat42F.

Another week, another episode of SMALL AXE on Amazon. The latest entry, RED, WHITE AND BLUE, tells the true story of a young man who was inspired to join the local police force after his father was beaten by cops because of the color of his skin. As you might expect, this is not an easy road for the man to go down. He not only faces systematic racism within the force, which is to be expected because he joined to try to change the organization from within, but also the disappointment of his father, who mourns his child standing among the ranks of the men who beat him.

SMALL AXE RED, WHITE AND BLUE is a powerful story of two men, Leroy Logan (John Boyega, Star Wars) and his father, Ken (Steve Toussaint, Deep Water). The film starts on Ken, and we can see what a kind-hearted, intelligent, perhaps a bit naïve, but all-around good man that Ken is. As the focus shifts to Leroy, we see someone who is a bit more assertive, and perhaps it is his father’s influence that made him that way. Not because Ken ever pushed Leroy, but because Ken raised him with appropriate values in a protected environment where Leroy felt he might be able to make a change. It’s not what Ken intended, but it also proves Ken to be a good father.

There’s a bit of a let down for each of the man as this plays out. Ken is sad because Leroy got involved with men that Ken thinks he should stay away from. Leroy is disappointed because the force ends up being a lot more entrenched than he expected. He can only do so much as one man, and seeing other minorities eventually give up, he wants to give up, too. But he can’t because he’s not doing this for himself; others are making sacrifices for him, and he must push on whether he wants to or not.

SMALL AXE RED, WHITE AND BLUE is bittersweet because viewers will know that Leroy is making a difference, even if it’s not as much of one as he’d like to, nor does change come quickly. Yet, there is a spark here, and even if he doesn’t realize it, he’s part of a broader movement. Attitudes and opinions are slow to shift, and that only happens with great effort. Leroy is essentially sacrificing himself, as so many have done, to change things even a little bit. It’s frustrating and it’s humbling to know how little one man can affect that balance. And yet without lots of men like him, things would remain the way they are.

That’s a large burden to place on Leroy’s shoulders, as Ken must realize, but the story of SMALL AXE RED, WHITE AND BLUE is not about sweeping injustices; it’s very much a personal story, embodied best in the final scene of the piece being a quiet moment between father and son. This movie really helps give face and personal impact to what people are going through, and have gone through, in society.

Once again, Steve McQueen has made an excellent film, well-acted, well-produced, and thought-provoking while also bringing the feels. The performances are great, especially from the leads. But even the minor parts are authentic, like the racist cop who can’t help but nervously smirk as he’s being yelled at. It all feels very real, and that’s both a good and a bad thing. But it’s also beautiful art, and that’s only good.

Catch SMALL AXE RED, WHITE AND BLUE, along with the rest of the SMALL AXE series, only on Amazon Prime.

SMALL AXE LOVERS ROCK

 Article first published as TV Review: SMALL AXE LOVERS ROCK on Seat42F.

The second installment in the SMALL AXE series has arrived today. It’s called LOVERS ROCK, and it takes place in the course of a single night. This one is not a grand, historical tale, like the first film in the series, but is instead a much more personal story of a group of young people attending a house party in early 1980s West London. Not allowed into the clubs and beset by racism on the streets, young Black folks of the time instead cleared out the furniture, cooked some food, and set up their own gatherings in the safety of someone’s dwelling. LOVERS ROCK shows one such party.

It’s a testament to how good a film maker Steve McQueen is that SMALL AXE LOVERS ROCK is worth watching. I say this because it contains almost no discernable plot, and without IMDB’s help, I’d be hard pressed to name more than a couple of the characters. Instead, it is a peek at a moment in time, designed to showcase a specific event of the type that was prevalent in a bygone era. Through music and charm and solid direction and lingering scenes, it succeeds in that, and manages to hold viewers’ attention for a full seventy minutes.

As specific as SMALL AXE LOVERS ROCK is, it is also universal. Everyone who attended parties in high school or college can identify the various stages of the event. There’s the excited and nervous preparation, or if you’re hosting, the quiet before the storm as you put in the work and sweat to set things up, fun because of the anticipation of what’s to come. Then people start to arrive, and they look at one another with some amount of trepidation. Friends hang together or find one another. As things heat up, gatherers mingle and begin to pair off differently. Romances blossom and fall apart. Happy people sing along to the music, or even after it stops. The disgruntled friend goes home early. Someone acts out of control and has to be dealt with. Slow dances turn sexy. People begin to drift off. And finally, the manic end of the night where it feels like a dream and you’re spat back out into the world. Then you head to bed, only to have to have to get up too early and face the day, exhausted.

All of this is part of the beautiful rhythm of SMALL AXE LOVERS ROCK, just as certainly as the excellent and era-appropriate soundtrack. A period piece it may be, but it’s also just a portrait of plain, old human nature. Some of the details might be different from one experience to the other, but the recognizable aspects override anything else.

Amarah-Jae St. Aubyn is the closest thing to the star of the film, and this is her first and only credit on IMDB. She handles the role with skill and aplomb. I’m sure we’ll see her in more soon. There are a few faces you may or may not recognize, like Michael Ward (Top Boy), Kedar Williams-Stirling (Wolfblood), and Daniel Francis-Swaby (The Santa Suicides), but the relative anonymity of the cast leads to the authenticity, and there are certainly no current household names present. Yet, there isn’t anyone who feels like they’re acting, either, the world built seamlessly and the actors melting into it.

I find myself surprised to enjoy SMALL AXE LOVERS ROCK as much as I did, given the lack of plot thread, but it is a solid installment, and certainly quite a bit different from the first movie in the series. Check back on this page soon as I cover the rest of the SMALL AXE releases.

SMALL AXE LOVERS ROCK is available now on Amazon Prime.

The SMALL AXE MANGROVE

 Article first published as TV Review: SMALL AXE MANGROVE on Seat42F.

Amazon Prime recently premiered a new series of films directed and co-written by Steve McQueen (12 Years a Slave) entitled SMALL AXE. The first of these, MANGROVE, is available now. It follows the true story of The Mangrove Nine, a group of Black people arrested during demonstrations against the Metropolitan Police in Notting Hill, Kensington. So you’ll get a history lesson, a look at immigrant life, and hopefully think a bit about the racial injustice still prevalent in today’s society.

Shaun Parkes (The River) stars as Frank Crichlow, a man from Trinidad who has moved to London. Frustrated in dealing with the police, Frank opens a totally legitimate restaurant called the Mangrove, selling the cuisine of his native land, a.k.a. “spicy food.” But the local constable, PC Pulley (Sam Spruell, The Bastard Executioner), is deeply prejudiced, and decides that the Mangrove must be a place for unsavory characters, raiding it repeatedly for no legitimate reason. This only drives the community to embrace the Mangrove more, the local Black Panthers and others considering the place “theirs,” and things spiral far from Frank’s control. It all culminates during a march against the police in which Frank and eight others are arrested for rioting and affray. Off-screen the case is dismissed, and then tried again at the Old Bailey, a venue for only the most heinous crimes, as the police hope to make examples of the defendants.

SMALL AXE MANGROVE begins as one thing, a story focused on Frank and his restaurant, and halfway though, becomes a courtroom drama with varied protagonists. In lesser hands, this disjointed style and lack of strong focus might feel like a weakness. Instead, through flawless directing and performances, it feels like a complete piece, albeit one with two distinct halves. Yet, it’s also more than that. Frank’s story becomes the story of all these people, and the film enlarges to encapsulate that, minimizing Frank the way he becomes pushed to the background of his own fate. It’s actually a pretty cool move.

Parkes is great, full stop. He is not alone, however, and some of the best moments in SMALL AXE MANGROVE come from others. At the trial, one of the co-defendants, Darcus Howe (Malachi Kirby, Devils) decides he should represent himself. The stuffier lawyers protest, but Ian MacDonald (Jack Lowden, The Tunnel) thinks it’s a brilliant idea. Altheia Jones (Letitia Wright, Black Panther), another person on trial, agrees and decides to do the same. Altheia and Darcus speaking up for themselves is powerful, especially when Darcus plays the legal game better than some of the fully-trained lawyers, winning through logic, not just emotion.

The system is broken, the no one exhibits that better than Judge Clarke (Alex Jennings, The Crown), showing his prejudice right off the bat. But the cause is righteous enough, even he is eventually forced to admit wrongdoing on both sides, which unfortunately echoes remarks by own American president not too long.

That’s what’s so powerful about SMALL AXE MANGROVE, though: it isn’t just a history story. It is relevant today, shining light on the continued issues. This was written and filmed prior to this year’s Black Lives Matter marches, but they make it even more timely. The trial of The Mangrove Nine was fifty years ago, and yet, the problems remain, maybe not in quite the same way, but still very serious. The ending text on the screen reveal Frank’s troubles didn’t end after the trial, as he continued to be harassed for the next two decades. It wouldn’t have been surprising to learn he was still being harassed today, if he were alive. The police were not punished. And though his kids have a better life (you may know of his daughter, actress Lenora Crichlow), that doesn’t mean the problems are solved.

SMALL AXE MANGROVE is an excellent film with compelling characters and a true story that hits home. Even were it not applicable to current circumstances, it would land. The fact that the fight lives on only helps boost its impact. I can’t wait to see what the rest of the SMALL AXE series has in store.

SMALL AXE MANGROVE is available now on Amazon Prime.