Spikeopath 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 feels like it's a bunch of mates making a film and living out some fantasies where they get to be wicked for a day. There's some messages in the mix trying to break out of the hysteria, to be a wake-up call to parents and elders as to what is happening under our noses, but ultimately sensationalism wins the day.It's a film strung together by a number of instances, characterisation and reasoning is given short shrift, the makers over egging the pudding in their unrelenting mission to shock. Some scenes are undeniably attention grabbing, while the soundtrack pulses away with verve and Brian Tufano's cinematography is right on the money, but come the preachy finale you may feel you really haven't learnt anything new about the unruly and unfeeling kids of today. 6/10

latifah28 I hovered over this film for months back when it was released. I am so glad that I watched it. We had all the 'Hood' films in the 90's, but this stuff is so much more gritty. I think British films are so much more gritty anyway in their entirety. There is no Hollywood plastic rubbish here. Having lived in London, I can say that this film does portray areas that are in poverty and despair. Each one of the actors play their roles beautifully. I have now actively looked for other similar films to watch. For people who think it's far fetched. Read the news,look around, look at crime statistics and the ages of criminals these days. My only gripe is the 'black' accents used by white people. This happens in real life also and annoys me no end. That's the only part I find embarrassing to watch. Noel Clarke is a gifted actor/director, in fact there are several British young actors that are under appreciated, Jaime Winstone, Plan B etc... If you want a look into inner city life in the UK, look no further. Hardcore EastEnders with better acting. Then when you've gotten over that, whack Adulthood on!

Michael J Davies In my opinion one of the best British films ever made. My top two British films may be controversial to most "The Hole" and "Kidulthood".Noel Clarke has created a gritty a most importantly REAL representation of what growing up in the UK is like at the moment. I was 16 when this film was released, making me around the same age as the characters. Perhaps I can relate more to this film having seen two of my friends stabbed, neither killed, and many violent actions on the streets of my estate. I do feel though, that with Clarke's script comes a hard hitting and powerful movie about teenagers in the UK trying to fit in and avoid confrontation which, unfortunately comes due to everybody trying to fit in and be top dog.If anyone from the older generation wonders what it's actually like growing up in Britain today, I can't recommend this film highly enough.

Zedd S A gritty but very real sketch of life as a teen in London. As a born-and-raised Londoner myself, it was refreshing to watch such a true portrayal of what it is like on the streets of the city as a teenager, struggling through 'kidulthood'.The characters were so real that I recognised many from my own teen years, and the acting was just effortlessly accurate. The filming & visuals of London made me feel at home and strangely proud of the city I call home - maybe because it's so stunning visually despite the hard-hitting reality the film portrays. The soundtracks are all great and relevant to the film, my favourite artist on the audio being the talented Shystie.Overall, the film follows the lives of troubled youngsters, including 3 best friends Trife, Jay and Moony. They may look like your average hooded chavs but when you watch them on-screen, you see life through their eyes & see their story: being a teen isn't easy, and sometimes adults forget that.This film takes you through an epic and often hilarious journey through these young lives as they each make decisions and choices to define who they are. Hard-hitting, this is not one for those who prefer sugar-coated movies, but it is a rare gem that tells it like it is without pulling any punches. It definitely leaves a haunting message with the viewer that makes them question life, youth and the society around we live in.Hats off to Noel Clarke for his excellent work with this masterpiece.