#bluestory

anyone else notice that one scene in baby hotline where, at first, blue thinks lavender's stalking him again for a SPLIT SECOND and then it just turns out to be lilac?

GRAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

I LOVE BLUES STORY

Blue Story is a promising directorial debut for Andrew “Rapman” Onwubolu. By blending rap music and Shakespearean drama with real-life events, it engages you in unexpected ways.

Though Timmy (Stephen Odubola) and his widowed mother live in Deptford - a poor neighborhood in London - she sends him to a high school in Peckham where he meets his best friend Marco (Michael Ward). Devoted to his studies and more than a little distracted by Leah (Karla-Simone Spence), Timmy is unaware of the rivalry between the boroughs. When Marco is attacked by one of Timmy’s old friends, they are unwillingly placed on opposing sides of a never-ending cycle of violence.

Before the movie even starts, turn on the subtitles. Unless you’re intimately attuned with street-level slang of the U.K. variety, you’ll struggle with the dialogue. On the upside, having the words on-screen allows you to catch all of the lyrics in the overarching rap-narration provided by Rapman. Playing an omniscient narrator, the musician-turned director introduces the film in a way similar to the prologue found in Romeo and Juliet.

The comparison I'm making is deliberate. Two young people torn apart by an ancient "familial" grudge whose peers solve their problems with dramatic acts - often resulting in death? Timmy and Marco may not be star-cross’d lovers but the stage is set similarly. It's no coincidence. There’s at least one reference to “worm’s meat” - though for all I know, that could simply be a saying over the pond. This isn’t a simply gender-swapped retelling, however. It’s more like a spiritual successor. That’s of course discounting the fact that Blue Story is based on Rapman’s 2014 YouTube series, itself based on true events.

The drama is engaging because of its tried-and-true qualities. The way it’s told makes it fresh. Not only the rap segments but the entirely black cast of largely new/unknown actors, the references to current-day events and issues, and more. The movie is not about diversifying Hollywood or about inclusion but the dialogue and conversations naturally bring up real-world topics you seldom hear in movies, such as the way Timmy idolizes John Boyega because he's like him and now belongs to the Star Wars franchise.

I raised an eyebrow when I saw the film’s poster. Directed by “Rapman” with a bunch of tough-looking gangsters? I expected another John Henry or 2018’s Superfly? Actually, it’s the complete opposite. This film condemns gang life. Not in a sanctimonious way. All it does it show you the reality of a scenario like this one. I have some criticisms. Firstly, there are A LOT of characters and any poor fool whose eyes have to keep darting to the bottom of the screen to keep track of what's being said will struggle to keep track everyone eventually. The movie could’ve used MORE of Rapman’s musical beats to set the stage during the middle when things start to get heated. I also think he underuses Karla-Simone Spence and Stephen Odubola’s chemistry. The two are so good together you want to see more of them in love. Maybe Rapman’s got a future in romance stories? I hope so! Finally, I’d also say the low-budget shows but this film was made for under 1.5 million pounds. That’s remarkable.

Blue Story is a directorial debut and at certain times, it shows but what a way to start. Exciting and engaging drama that combines the new and the old, dozens of promising new faces who give excellent performances, fresh ideas delivered in an inspiring and innovative manner, love, rivalries, friendships, heartbreaks? It’s got just about everything. (November 17, 2020)