Seen in that light, “Blue Story,” a chronicle
of youth gangs in south London, is hardly
revolutionary. What distinguishes this debut
feature from Andrew Onwubolu, aka Rapman,
is firstly its storytelling structure, making
welcome use of the writer-director’s rap talents
to serve as a Greek chorus. And secondly its
cast, with several vital performances of note,
especially from heartbreakingly vulnerable
newcomer Stephen Odubola.
This doesn’t make “Blue Story” an easy
experience. You’ll be ground down, over 91
minutes, not only by the brutality of these
street wars, or even their futility, but by the
depressing sameness of it all. This is is likely
part of Rapman’s aim. But be warned: there
may be moments when, faced with another
pointless foray by hooded youngsters with
guns and knives into the menacing streets,
you’ll be tempted to give up.
“Blue Story,“ which stems from a short
YouTube trilogy Rapman did in 2014, is not a
tale of two cities but of two boroughs — or
postal codes, as the director has put it — and
one key friendship. The rapport between
school mates Timmy (Odubola) and Marco
(Micheal Ward, brooding and charismatic) is
so convincingly rendered that it’s a true shock
when, later, we see how easily such a bond
can dissolve.
We briefly meet Timmy as a young boy, being
dressed up in a crisp shirt and tie to go to
school in Peckham — a different school than all
his friends, he complains, but a better school,
says his no-nonsense mother, who works two
jobs to keep him fed.