Kidulthood

1/21/2014

The Yoof of today eh! Britain’s answer to Larry Clark’s Kids, Kidulthood works hard for realism and shock value but falls somewhere in between. Story focuses on a group of London youngsters who have been given the day off school when one of their classmates commits suicide after being bullied. The various groups of friends spin off to do their own thing, which invariably involves drugs, violence, casual sex, teenage pregnancy angst, revenge and lots of cussing in street speak. All this is crammed into a 24 hour period, suggesting that the yoof of today never live a dull moment when not at school. Writer Noel Clarke (who also stars) and director Menhaj Huda clearly want to keep things raw and authentic, but it eventually comes off as wholly unbelievable. In fact it at times