A wonderful, exuberant coming-of-age drama, this East London-set life-affirming film is the work of director Sarah Gavron and writers Theresa Ikoko and Claire Wilson. It’s a sugar-rush of wit, wisdom and humanity. A group of Year 11 girls centres on Nigerian British Shola, aka Rocks (newcomer Bukky Bakray), who is no academic high-flier, but, like, is really talented at cosmetics. She lives with her troubled mum, who has had, as a social worker delicately puts it, issues managing her medication. The film follows Rocks’ tough journey to early teendom, her fractious but hilarious relationship with her younger brother and the piercing moments of sadness that result in an empowering and uplifting movie. It rocks.
