Director Steve McQueen (best known for 12 Years a Slave) has produced a series of 5 features examining the experiences of London’s West Indian communities over the decades. The overall title is Small Axe.
The first one on Amazon is Mangrove, which chronicles the struggles of a man trying to run a restaurant. After a first hour of numerous police harassments, the narrative moves to court, where the defendants mount their case against institutional racism. As expected, the performances are all committed and strong (even though the accents sometimes make the dialogue a challenge to follow). McQueen has staged much of the film in ALL CAPS, wielding a strong hand to create frustration, outrage and ultimately power.
(The remaining features will be released weekly on Fridays starting 11/27)
(4 / 5)