Review: 3.5 out of 5.Hey everyone,
I'm back from my break and I'm writing my first online film review for Noel Clarke's and Mark Davis' British crime thriller, 4.3.2.1. Before I get on with the feedback I'm presenting on this site I would like to congratulate a good friend of mine who goes by the name, Lil Dre for sorting out his big T-Shirt promotion for the web comic, Nemesis Dawn of a Legend and a 20 minute short film called The Hardest to Survive that he's developing with J-Starz and Matthew Ezee. I saw his video teaser for a soundtrack he's using for the action thriller the other day on Facebook and it is really good. Big up Lil Dre for that. Let me remind you that this review is not Latino Review so I only review stuff I myself have watched or any cycle of information I can gather. If you want me to review other types of films like this and different entertainment like video games or music, I will do it but let me know by following my blog and comment on the top of the screen. Now for the review.
The film is really 116 minutes long, so just a little over 2 hours and is distributed by Revolver Entertainment, as Clarke rightly put it, 4.3.2.1 follows "four" young women involved with a heist of expensive diamonds and are caught in a wide adventure at a span of "three" days set in "two" cities with only "one" chance to make things right. To be honest, I felt this movie was really good but it wasn't great. It is better than Kidulthood by far and only just better than Adulthood by two notches. There is a reason I gave this rating a 3.5 out of 5 stars, but I'll discuss that later. The girls, Jo (Emma Roberts) is a worker at the till, stuck in a supermarket being tested by the arrogant Tee (Noel Clarke), the supervisor at the market who does not show up again until the last 45 minutes of this entire movie. There is then Cassandra (Tasmin Egerton), a middle class pianist visiting the city of New York to see a "cyber friend" as Jo had said, Kerrys (Shanika Warren-Markland), a sultry, in-your-face, tough vixen hungry for sex and dominating over anyone who gets in her way - man or woman. Finally, Shannon (Ophelia Lovibond), the quiet graffiti artist who only wants to meet her number one guy. The film opens with Shannon holding diamonds near the River Thames in London and about to commit suicide while the other girls confront her in a Mexican Standoff.
Three days earlier, the group meet in a clothing store and have a talk over what seems to be a whole friends reunion. I have got to admit, I'm fascinated by the visuals done in the film, although the soundtracks is not as good in Adulthood, the visuals here is better. Especially a moment in the film where Shannon drunk too much during the club scene right after the meeting. You can see how damaging it is to her as she tries getting with a man. Kerrys causes a fight with the man Shannon was trying to sleep with and both of them escape. Shannon gets attacked by a group of hooligans with paintball guns over what she had done and rescued by the mysterious Kelly played by Michelle Ryan. After dressing, Shannon realises after meeting Jo at the market kissing Dillon (Adam Deacon) and walking out, she came into possession of the diamonds. She narrowly escapes from Kelly who wants the diamonds. Shannon comes home to visit her father and confronts her mother about the self-inflicted scars made after leaving home. She then writes a letter to warn the others of her situation, all the while feeling alienated by her trusting friends.
Subequently, the other girls are dealing with problems of their own, Kerrys has been locked in Cassandra's panic room with her girlfriend by her half brother, who is dealing with Dillon over something we don't yet know, Jo is being watched by Tee and Cassandra had only barely passed her exam on the piano while her virginity was selfishly taken and privacy endangered by her internet boyfriend. Kerrys is set free and gets revenge she rightfully deserves on her brother. It turns out Tee's supervision at the market is just a cover up to get the diamonds hidden in a safe, but already discovered by Dillon and his friend the rapper/actor Ashley "Bashy" Thomas. Tee's cover is blown when Dillon robs the market but a tight fest happens between Dillon, Jo, Kerrys, Kelly and Tee about the diamonds. Clarke's storytelling is neatly sewn in and woven into each girls perspective and background, which makes for effective character, but slows down the pace and makes the plot feel drawn out instead of moving forward quick enough. Shannon is found to have the diamonds by Cassandra, Kerrys and Jo, reconciling their differences. The girls move on from their normal lives and board a plane to America with the diamonds as Kelly joins them, implying an open-ending for a sequel. I hear some other reviews tearing this film apart but I am someone who will give my fairest criticism as possible.
The Good:
4.3.2.1 has very clever dialogue, it is almost as if Clarke is giving himself the best lines for his script in the acting category. There's some great on-the-nail black humour in it, performed by a majority of the cast. Clarke is recommended by his style of telling his story, even though there wasn't much depth to the plot. The soundtrack is smooth but I still think it's not as good as Adulthood was and the visuals were crystal clear as the diamonds itself. Each main character is likeable, my personal favourite was Shanika's character, Kerrys, it's too bad that she hates men though cause she's a real sight for sore eyes. In an interview with Clarke, he said each woman is really strong personality wise. Well, they each are very strong in their own way at dealing with their troubles, but the most vulnerable has got to be Shannon. We feel sympathy enough for her going through so much yet achieving so little.
The Bad:
Unfortunately, the reason this movie didn't get the number 4 star I really wanted to put in place in this review is because of the acting. It was bad, not dreadful, but could have been much better. For me, Clarke performed well as Tee better than most and the worst actress out there is ironically Shanika, I'm sorry. She was good at showing off her short skirts and bad attitude but it was not genuine for me and felt a bit flat. The multiple plotlines for the girls is brilliant, however it can get quite boring at times and makes it slightly drawn out than it's supposed to be. The film can be a little predictable at times but it makes up for this with the mystery of how all of the girls had got to where they are seen in the opening sequence and who had stolen the diamonds. There is not enough depth in the plot to make this more than just satisfying and may easily be taken for just another popcorn chick flick than a crime story.
Overall:
It is fun, a laugh, gripping and should be watched again. It is worth going again in cinemas and I would definitely add this to my collection of DVDs. It is a clap trap of edgy lines that would make you go say it aloud. Only the acting is bad, it covered mostly every area of film. With better performance this could have been a must see. I only hope it does well enough in the box office to warrant a sequel.
- Written by Kbon
