Yeah, I really want to see an indie drama about two young British bros (Stephen Odubola, Micheal Ward) who find themselves on opposite sides of a brutal gang war. Set in the vicinity of Peckham (southeast London, east of Brixton) and directed, written and narrated by British hip-hop artist Rapman (Andrew Onwubolu)…I’m hearing the ring of familiarity and fatigue.

Then again it’s always the singer, not the song. Optimism!

“A well-told story with a worthwhile if not especially revolutionary message — gang wars are not worth dying for, and you don’t have to follow the cycle — that hits home, with attention being paid to making sure the small details such as the unapologetically British language in both sets of gangs feel just as authentic as the larger themes.

“It’s all anchored by two impressive performances from relative newcomers Odubola and Ward, whose chemistry is just as strong in conflict as it is in friendship. Similarly, the likeable romance between Odubola’s Timmy and Karla-Simone Spence’s Leah is frequently able to strike sweet and tender notes amidst all the male posturing. If it doesn’t completely grip, Blue Story announces several emerging talents who have bright futures ahead of them.” — from 11.18.19 review by Empire‘s Amon Warmann.