could be set anywhere in the world. Watching it last year at the Toronto Film Festival, I remember thinking this could be a story set in the Jane-Finch neighbourhood in this city. Or Malvern, Regent Park, Lawrence Heights or Dixon Road. The story of two young Black boys growing up in community housing, where people look out for each other even as their bodies and homes are policed by authorities, felt familiar.
It makes sense that Baig’s drama is based on a lot of interviews with community members of Cabrini-Green. There’s a lived-in feeling to many of the vignettes that make up this story. However, there’s also a wistful, metaphorical quality to the film, which doesn’t always work, bogging it down in gravitas and melancholy.revolves around two best friends Malik and Eric .
The two young actors are fantastic. The film truly lies on their delicate shoulders. And they soar to the challenge, mouthing lines that feel out of place – no matter how precocious these kids may be. The disjointed narrative intercut with dream-like sequences adds a ponderous quality to the film, heightened even more by the occasional dramatic score. The film sometimes feels overwhelmed by its aesthetics, especially when a substantial part of it unfolds in whispers and shadows.