Ill Manors Film Review

Director: Ben Drew (Plan B himself). He has directed a short film called Michelle. He also directed the music video for 'Pieces' (a collaboration with Chase & Status)

Main Stars: 
-Riz Ahmed
-Ed Skrein
-Keith Coggins
-Lee Allen
-Nick Sagar
-Ryan De La Cruz
-Anouska Mond
Most of these stars have acted in other films, but Riz Ahmed is most notable in Four Lions.

Plot: Ill Manors is an Urban Drama that follows the lives of 7/8 main characters. These main characters are split into 6 small stories that intertwine with each other in such a way that it becomes one much larger, bigger story. Each short story is represented by a different hip-hop track and the whole movie is narrated by Ben Drew (Plan B himself)

Characters: 
-Riz Ahmed as Aaron
-Ed Skrein as Ed 
-Keith Coggins as Kirby
-Lee Allen as Chris
-Nick Sagar as Marcel
-Ryan De La Cruz as Jake
-Anouska Mond as Michelle
The quality of acting was very good as the actors knew what to bring to the roles as they may have gone through these same situations.

Genre: The film is a gritty, urban crime drama. My expectations of this kind of film is are definitely met from the off. The constant dark mood with glimmers of light helps to keep the audience in a type of suspense that has you biting your nails, whilst sitting on the edge of your seat.

Soundtrack: I very much enjoyed the soundtrack as it was very original. The story became more believable and realistic with this soundtrack.

Audience: I think this film is aimed mainly to the youth. Perhaps a C2, D or E demographic can be considered as characters from low class areas are shown throughout the film and this lets audiences relate.


Review:

iLL MANORS is a film directed by Ben Drew (Plan B). This was the first time Drew directed a feature length movie. He has, to my knowledge, also directed a short film called 'Michelle'. Drew started out as a young rapper, where he released his first album: Who Needs Actions When You Got Words. He then went on to release his second second: The Defamation of Strickland Banks; which entered the charts at number 1. His third album was released as the soundtrack to the movie in question: iLL MANORS.

The film follows the lives of 7/8 main characters. These main characters are split into 6 small stories that intertwine with each other in such a way that it becomes one much larger, bigger story. Each short story is represented by a different hip-hop track that narrates that particular story.

We have the protagonist, Aaron, played by Fix Ahmed. He is always trying to do the right thing. Next we have Ed played by Ed Skrein; a thug who will do anything to get his phone back. Next, we have Chris played by Lee Allen; a drug dealer seeking revenge on the murder of his little sister. Next is Kirby played by Keith Coggins; an  ex-drug dealer who has just been released from prison. Now we have Anouska Mond who plays Michelle; a drug addict working in prostitution. Jake is played by Ryan Due La Cruz; a young teenager who's found himself dream to the local gang. Lastly, there is Katya who is a prostitute trying to escape her life to save her newborn baby. The quality of acting was very good as the actors knew what to bring to the roles as they may have gone through these same situations.

The film is a gritty, urban crime drama. My expectations of this kind of film are definitely met from the off.  The urban feel is received very well through factors such as language, clothing, locations, etc. The constant dark mood with glimmers of light helps to keep the audience in a type of suspense that has you biting your nails, whilst sitting on the edge of your seat.

I very much enjoyed the soundtrack, especially because it was original. A new sound was used narrate each small story. This stood out for me especially because it allowed a lot to be said in a short amount time. Also, the story became more believable and realistic with the soundtrack as everything was explained to the audience then and there.

I think this film is aimed mainly to the youth. Perhaps a C2, D or E demographic can be considered as characters from low class areas are shown throughout the film and this lets audiences relate. However, audiences from middle to upper classes may watch iLL MANORS to be informed of this kind of lifestyle.