Film
Bullet Boy
- Director
- Saul Dibb
- Certificate
- 15
- Running Time
- 91 mins
“War is stupid and people are stupid”. That was the sagacious Boy George’s memorable contribution to the issue of global conflict. Substitute ‘guns’ for ‘war’ and the George Contention is the message of this well-meaning if heavy-handed 2005 morality tale from the BBC, which has more than a touch of the trendy vicars about it. Aimed at urban black youth, it actually appealed primarily to approving white middle-class liberal arthouse audiences.
Former gun-toting jailbird Ashley Walters (formerly Asher D from So Solid Crew – remember them, garage fans?) plays gun-toting jailbird Ricky – so no authenticity problems there, then – who emerges from youth custody to find himself plunged straight back in to the macho firearm culture of the mean streets of Hackney, despite his best efforts to go straight. Eager to re-establish his relationship with girlfriend Shea (Sharea Mounira Samuels) after some initial over-excitement (“‘ave you come? Are you taking the piss?”), become a suitable role model for his hero-worshipping 12-year-old brother Curtis (Luke Fraser), and live up to his caring mother Beverley’s (Clare Perkins) positive aspirations for him, Ricky is sidetracked so rapidly that he even misses his own coming-out party. This is largely the fault of his inaptly named, volatile best pal Wisdom (Leon Black), whose trivial altercation with a rival street gang over a broken car wing mirror soon spirals out of control. It’s not long before shooters are produced and impressionable Curtis, who enjoys a parallel relationship with a dangerous little chum, is drawn in to this depressing cycle of violence. You don’t need 20:20 vision to spot the signpost reading: ‘Tragedy Ahead’.
Walters proves a charismatic presence, in contrast to some uneven performances from non-professional members of the cast, making it easy for the target audience to identify with Ricky’s plight. Far less impressive is the way in which Bullet Boy becomes more overtly preachy than its superior US counterparts (notably Boyz N the Hood), leading to a regrettable full-on outbreak of evangelical happy-clappiness, courtesy of Beverley’s god-bothering boyfriend Leon (Curtis Walker), which unbalances the film and is unlikely to resonate with any street thugs who inadvertently find themselves watching this instead of soaking up the more reprehensible message of Pop a Cap in Yo Ass, Muthafucka 3.
is needed now More than ever
It’s back on screen in the Watershed’s epic Of Grudge and Gumption: British Working Class on Film Sunday brunch season.
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