DVD Review The Weekend
cert 15
A fresh comedy drama from first time feature director Sheridan De Myers. Brit films these days tend to fall into the following categories: costume period dramas, socially conscious treats from directors like Mike Leigh, impossibly posh tales spun by director/producers such as Richard Curtis or gang/gangster flicks like Adulthood. This fresh comedy drama from first time feature director Sheridan De Myers has gangsters in it but they’re secondary characters there to push this story about three mates trying to fit in.
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This month in town
January
Jovian Wade plays Derrick who arrives back in his manor for the summer after a term studying economics at Uni to find that even though he’s moved on, his school friends Tyler (Dee Kaate) and Malcolm (Percelle Ascott) are up to the same old stuff – which mostly involves trying to get in to cool parties and get with girls. But they’re more ‘waste man’ than ‘big man’ so their reality is a little more pathetic than they’d like. So when Derrick inadvertently swaps bags with a man being chased by a pair of hapless gangsters, they suddenly come into a lot of money. So begins the debauchery as they aim to have a weekend that beats all weekends. And if they garner some respect from their peers in the process, even better.
Made on a shoestring by De Myers and writer, the comedian Kojo, this is a fresh comedy that has fun with its characters, particularly the OTT drug boss, without eschewing its street roots. Wade, Kaate and Ascott gel well and that’s because younger readers will probably recognise them as internet comedy trio Mandem On The Wall, who have a decent following on You Tube. Wade is also of EastEnders fame so this unsurprisingly found an audience during its cinema release, selling out 15 screens. It’s shot well and doesn’t look like it was made just with friends and a lot of love and even though those 20 years younger than me will probably get more out of it, I laughed a lot. It’s also refreshing to hear colloquial inner London lingo in a British film that shows the sociable side of urban life and not just the bad stuff.
Exhibitions & weekly events Arts & Crafts 11 Jan-5 March NEW Red Saunders: Hidden William Morris Gallery, Forest Road E17 4PP Red Saunders’ epic photographs reimagine decisive but overlooked events in Britain’s struggle for democracy and equality. In an entrance display at the William Morris Gallery, rediscover their extraordinary stories, and the contribution they made to bring about change. Weds-Sun 10am5pm. FREE. wmgallery.org.uk
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Entertainment/travel writer Jessica Mellor has contributed to Empire Magazine and Radio Times online and was DVD Critic at the Daily Mirror for 11 years.
Events marked
12 Jan-5 Feb NEW The Face of Stuckism by Eamon Everall The Stone Space, 6 Church Lane, Leytonstone E11 1HG See feature on page 20. An exhibition of portraits of founder-members of The Stuckist Movement, founded in 1999 to promote figurative painting as opposed to conceptual art. Thurs-Fri 2-6pm, Sat 12-5pm, Sun 12-4pm. FREE. thestonespace.wordpress.com Until 28 January Junior Photographers Down Coppermill Lane The Mill, 7-11 Coppermill Lane E17 7HA A group of youngsters aged 6-8 years armed with disposable cameras record their distinctive view of E17 from Ricco’s Cafe to Walthamstow Marshes. Suitable for families. Open during normal Mill hours: Tues-Fri 9.30am6pm, Sat-Sun 10am-2pm. FREE. themill-coppermill.org
kid friendly
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