KiDULTHOOD (2006) Director: Menhaj Huda

I like and respect Noel Clarke, the writer of KiDULTHOOD, a lot; he is not scared to say what he thinks and he doesn't 'play the game' in the film industry. I was looking forward to watching KiDULTHOOD, the story of a group of teenagers in London and the challenges that face their daily lives, through what I know of Clarke but unfortunately I was a little bit disappointed by it.

It's gritty and it's evident that Clarke is trying to shock with his portrayl of 15 year olds taking drugs, having sex and indulging in a spot of the old ultra-violence for their kicks. Comparisons could be made to what Larry Clark was doing in the US in 1995 with Kids. Some of it is uncomfortable viewing, especially with the character of Becky (Jaime Winstone) who 'turns tricks' for free drugs. However, ultimately it feels a bit soulless - a key teen suicide scene is there to shock but doesn't achieve what it sets out to accomplish and you can see the ending coming a mile off.

What is impressive are the actors - fantastic young actors - Winstone, Aml Ameen as Trevor and Red Madrell as Alisa. Also impressive is the budget; this film was shot for just £600,000. Despite not quite hitting the mark, I look forward to watching the sequel Adulthood at some point and seeing how the characters develop.

2/5 popcorn bites.