Set in Brussels, this modern-day Romeo and Juliet story unfolds the tale of a doomed romance between Marwan (Aboubakr Bensaihi) and Mavela (Martha Canga Antonio), young lovers whose families come from north and sub-Saharan Africa, respectively, and who belong to rival gangs.
There’s a lot to admire, from the honesty about the brutality of gang culture, its pungent sense of place and the vitality of its young cast. With her breathy Betty Boop voice and impressive dramatic range, Canga Antonio represents a particular discovery here. I long to see her cast in a female buddy movie with Karidja Touré, the star of Girlhood, perhaps in a Francophone urban remake of Thelma and Louise.
However, the hip-hop video aesthetic, all self-consciously choppy editing and lapidary lighting, is a bit obnoxious sometimes, especially when it seems to prettify sexual violence, and the ending couldn’t be more predictable. When a character starts talking about getting out of the life and going straight, maybe learning a trade, you just know it’s all about to go south.
