Compelling film with moving performances portraying close relationships between two brothers and their mother and their immigrant experience growing up in the gritty big city. It relates to Writer/Director Clement Virgo’s own experience as well as to that of his outstanding ensemble of actors and is a tense examination of being immigrants in the Scarborough section of Toronto, Canada, in the 1990’s. This story could be placed outside Chicago, New York City, London or anywhere.
Clement Virgo wrote and directed this film based on the book written by David Chariandy. Virgo has worked on several major TV series, (Empire, The Wire, The L Word, Soul Food). But he told us he was ready to take on a film of his own when we interviewed him at the Chicago Critics Film Festival. It relates to his own family’s Jamaican immigrant experience, as it does for his lead actors whose families have similar roots. Both actors won Canadian Screen Awards for their committed performances in this film.
The story is told from young brother Michael’s perspective (Lamar Johnson). His older brother Francis (Aaron Pierre) is a strong presence who consistently challenges his sibling and his mother, Ruth (Marsha Stephanie Blake) who emigrated from Jamaica.
Ruth is a single mother who consistently fears for her sons’ safety whenever they leave her sight. Blake’s emotional performance is exceptional, trying to protect her sons from bad outside influences and, many times, from each other.
Francis is into hip hop and dreams of making it big as a DJ, hanging out with his buddies, at the same time trying to set an example for his more timid little brother. Virgo plays with the timeline throughout the film to show the brothers relationship at different ages and stages in some perilous situations. The film opens with Francis urging Michael to follow him up a huge steel power transmission tower to prove he can overcome fears and challenge himself. The timeline was in the book’s source material, but Virgo wanted to take it a step further juxtaposing the development of their relationship over time. He revisits the climb throughout the film as one of many challenges they both must face.
Virgo creates contrast when Michael meets and strikes up a relationship with the perky, pretty Aisha (Kiana Madeira). She has her own problems but is generous in giving Michael the support and affection he is not getting at home. She is a breath of fresh air and shows range and depth the role.
Music is very important showing power in the raw expression of hip hop, as well as the beats from the diverse immigrant community who come from the Caribbean, Africa, and more countries Virgo uses for this urban mix. Tensions rise when an incident pits young Black men against the police. This is all too familiar in big cities creating even more tragedy for the family.
Although it takes place in the 90’s, Clement Virgo creates a well-crafted, superbly acted, sensitive yet powerful film that mirrors immigrant families, then and now, trying to live in communities without tension and fear.
Vertical 1 hour 50 minutes
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