On the roof of a residential tower in Hackney, East London, a colorful company allows the beat of the tones: Fifteen-year-old Rocks (Bucky Packy) and her friends come here to have fun, dance and dream. Looming on the horizon is a London business center. But director Sarah Gavron (Activist for women’s rightsIntentionally depicts glamorous buildings – they are out of reach of these young people.
Rox’s humble life gets even harder when her only mother disappears with the northern sun. As she tries to take care of her little brother Emmanuel as best she can, the pound envelope her mother left unloads strangely and Social Services knocks on the door. Rocks escape and dig deeper and deeper into nests.
Rock in the waves
Just before you sigh, “Another social drama from Great Britain?” Sarah Gavron does a great job infusing her third film with joy and energy. Not that misery is the minimum, however Rocks It is basically a story of positive friendship. Because in a world where parents and government fail, a good friend is a rock in the waves. Or as it is written in large font on a poster in the Rocks Room:Real queens fix each other’s crowns“.
To find suitable actresses, Gavron roamed London schools. The girls of my choice – from Nigeria, Somalia, Poland, Ghana … – were allowed to fill in characters with their own experiences. You can feel it in the movie. Stars like Meryl Streep and Carey Mulligan, who both starred in the slightly stiffer Gavron movie Activist for women’s rightsNever miss a moment. It is the improvised and spontaneous atmosphere Rocks No rock.
Little D’angelou Osei Kissiedu, who plays Emmanuel, deserves a special mention: his childish honesty not only gives the film a likable factor, but it also provides a clear contrast to Rocks’ tough frontage. She was forced to bury her feelings in order not to be further hurt. The beautiful relationship between the two lies at the heart of the movie and provides a subtle yet poignant climax.
Rocks Plays from September 23.
