“Kicks” is one of the year’s best and freshest independent films, yet it is ingenious and original.
This new coming-of-age story builds tension over eighty minutes as characters survive in America’s slums.
This new coming-of-age story builds tension over eighty minutes as characters survive in America’s slums.
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| Courtesy of Focus Features |
The first fifteen minutes of the film feel like the most extended Nike Air Jordan commercial ever. This story is not about an ordinary tennis shoe; it is about “THE JORDANS.”
Once the main character starts looking for what is worth in life, the action takes off.
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| Courtesy of Focus Features |
In the suburbs of Oakland, California, we meet Brandon (Jahking Guillory), an introverted teenager who likes to hang out with his older buddies, Rico (Christopher Meyer) and Albert (CJ Wallance). They love to smoke, drink, and rap.
After being beaten up in a humiliating incident, Brandon and his friends set out on a quest to recover his most prized possession, his stolen tennis shoes.
A confrontation like that happens all the time, anywhere; it is real - people can get killed over a backpack.
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| Courtesy of Focus Features |
In “Kicks,” the city is one of the main characters.
The teen drama moves from a small, impoverished ghetto to a more significant and more dangerous part of the town, where the big boys play with huge cars, easy girls, loaded guns, and plenty of drugs.
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| Courtesy of Focus Features |
While the meanest guy in the “barrio,” Flaco (Kofi Siriboe), physically abuses Brandon (14), his five-year-old is also being abused.
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| Flaco is played by Kofi Siriboe. Courtesy of Focus Features |
Flaco tries to teach a lesson to his son, but he has no moral authority over him - this is a fundamental element woven through the plots and subplots of the movie.
“Kicks” underlines a cycle of abuse. The irony comes when someone preaches respect while failing to respect the vulnerable.
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| Courtesy of Focus Features |
The young actors in “Kicks” are terrific. They had fun working with director Justin Tipping.
Justin said, “I was terrified the first day of shooting! It was a weird experience, and at the same time, it was incredible to work with all those talented kids.”
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| Director, co-writer Justin Tipping, Photo by José A Hermosillo, Copyright Festival in LA, 2016 |
“Kicks” is a remarkable film debut for director Justin Tipping.
The film’s musical evolution unfolds the drama.
The director cleverly incorporates hip-hop early on to foreshadow the rap that plays later, showing the transformation of a fragile teenager into a robust young adult.
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| Jahking Guillory as Brandon, Photo by José A Hermosillo, Copyright Festival in LA 2016 |
In other parts of the world, some movies about troubled kids have been made in a similar tone. For example, the award-winning Mexican production “Güeros,” last year’s independent sensation “Dope,” the Oscar-winning “Tsotsi” from South Africa, “My Brother the Devil” from the U.K., and the iconic “Boys n the Hood” by John Singleton.
A ray of hope shines in the desolate universe of “Kicks,” where friendship remains unbroken.
The film is slightly predictable but satisfies the audience, who cheer for the main character, the vulnerable teen who wants to take justice into his own hands. Whether he succeeds or not, it is worth trying.
The film is slightly predictable but satisfies the audience, who cheer for the main character, the vulnerable teen who wants to take justice into his own hands. Whether he succeeds or not, it is worth trying.
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