Blue Story
Ten Second Review: For fans of Rapman’s work it’s a must but for the uninitiated this should work as a great introduction to the storyteller’s style and abilities.
I have to be honest, as much as I wanted to see this film, it was my mum that made sure I did. When Vue cinemas announced they were dropping it because of an as of now unrelated fight outside one of their cinemas she was adamant; “That film needs to be supported, them cutting it is out and out racism. They didn’t drop The Dark Knight when someone literally shot up a screening.” Point made, I stopped waiting and caught a showing, not at a Vue cinema obviously.
Blue Story focuses on Timmy and his friendship with Marco. The pair meet in secondary school and quickly become ride and die friends. As gang warfare rages in south east London the different post codes the two live in becomes more evident and their friendship, morals and lives are on the line.
This isn’t generally where I’d put this but go and see this film. Just in case you don’t read the rest of this review, I want to put it at the front. I’ll tell you now, it doesn’t get full marks and I’m not gonna defend it’s weaker points, but it’s core message, it’s style and it’s story telling are more than enough to warrant your ticket.
What Rapman has done is seamlessly translate what he’s become well known on YouTube for to the big screen. This is no mean feat. We’ve seen plenty of youtubers transfer to platforms like TV and film and flunk our quick and hard.
What remains important in his work is his talent for story telling and his unique style. Working as the Virgil of his own work, Rapman literally guides you through the story. In this case he plays a similar role to the Muses in Hercules as he connects scenes and keeps the story moving from one point to the next. The use of music, already so engrained in the culture he’s discussing and the film he’s written, fits effortlessly and gives the film a unique quality compared to what’s currently on offer. If for no other reason than it’s interesting style this film is worth a watch, but there’s much more.
There is a raw and uncomfortable frankness to the film. Far from glamourising the lifestyle, it borders on making you feel sick. The sound of stabbings, the senseless violence and the harsh nature of the relationships the boys in this film hold, this film would be a worthwhile watch for as wide an audience as possible.
As mentioned, it’s not perfect and I wouldn’t feel right hiding it’s faults just because I think it should be seen. The young female characters are either written a touch unconvincingly or acted too hammy. I’m sure I wouldn’t notice in a run of the mill BBC drama but with the Cali we of the rest of the acting, it just didn’t feel quite up to par. I will also say, and this might be too personal a want, given Rapman’s history of calling out the government and the proximity to the general election in the UK, I was hoping for a title card at the end discussing cuts to youth services and the deepening of gang culture this may have lead to. The film is excellent at presenting the cyclical nature of gang culture and postcode warfare but it doesn’t go for the jugular of how it got to where it is and alludes to how to end it.
I really hope this film does well. I know I’m biased after following Rapman’s journey over the past few years but I really do think people should see this film. It’s a look inside the lives of a great many brits today and a worthwhile addition to British cinematic culture. Please support this film to enable more films like Blue Story to be told by the people most able.
