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4.3.2.1 (2010)

Director: Noel Clarke, Mark Davis

Time Out rating

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11 reviews

Movie review

From Time Out London

Noel Clarke’s latest, ‘4.3.2.1’, is on the face of it completely different to his ‘Kidulthood’ mini-franchise. Following four west London sixth-form girls who get mixed up with stolen diamonds, it’s a brash and ambitious play for the mainstream: girl power rebooted for anyone too young to remember Riot Grrrl or even the Spice Girls. Still, jammed as it is with teen sex and misbehaving, and with a plotline that hinges on a packet of Pringles, if you’re over 21 you’re probably too old to be watching.

Like a pop svengali, Clarke has put together a line-up of characters to cater for all tastes. The film splits into four sections, covering the same three days from the perspective of each. Tamsin Egerton plays a pretty, posh blonde who jets off to New York to lose her virginity. Ophelia Lovibond is the arty indie screw-up. American actress Emma Roberts is all sass and smarts, while Shanika Warren-Markland, who had a tiny part in ‘Adulthood’, announces herself as a big new talent as the butt-kicking, feisty one. Clarke himself appears and there are cameos from R&B singer Eve and ‘Clerks’ director Kevin Smith.

The film doesn’t go in for subtlety. It’s frenetically paced, with non-stop music, and pops with teen issues: abortion, self-harm, bisexuality, suicide, stalking. That’s before you get to the diamond heist. But Clarke has got an unmistakable knack for writing teens. One of this lot is more worried that her mates aren’t talking to her than the fact that she has an international smuggling ring on her tail. As for girl power, the message doesn’t wash. These girls are brilliantly un-victimy and always come out fighting. If only they weren’t incessantly paraded about in their underwear for the viewing pleasure of men. For Clarke, to disenfranchise half his audience would be a crime worse than selling out the sisters.

Author: Cath Clarke

Time Out London Issue 2076: June 3 – 10, 2010

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User reviews of this film

Mayhemz said...

Posted on Jul 06 2010 12:40 It was an amazing film 10/10

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andy said...

Posted on Jun 12 2010 09:13 ***SPOILERS***
Really quite funny in places if you can get past how cringey some of the stuff is. The funniest parts were situational rather than in the actual dialogue however, like Cass' "OW OW OW!" in the bedroom, her face when she sees her real "internet boyfriend", the confrontation with the two guys and the consistent "confusion over the cable-ties" joke. Continuity jokes are the best, and probably something lifted from Clarke's extended time on the Doctor Who scene.
***END SPOILERS***

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filmgoer said...

Posted on Jun 11 2010 15:53 What a piece of crap! The most pretentious dialogue I have ever heard. Not bad acting, but terrible, terrible script! Couldn't stand more than half an hour before I fled the cinema!

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scrumpyjack said...

Posted on Jun 07 2010 22:03 Too childish for most adults, too patronising for most teens Noel seems to have thought "Teens like sex, drugs, swearing, violence, fashion, selfharm, drinking.....and so on and crammed them into 110mins. It came across as that "kids like baseball caps" incident with Hague 10 years back. Mr Clarke, you have got SOMETHING. why not take the next 4 or 5 years to produce a film YOU, & not just chav's , can REALLY be proud of. 3/10

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prettyaveragelieutenant said...

Posted on Jun 05 2010 22:44 this film was entertaining, ill give it that. it doesnt let up. but thats just what noel clarke does. he doesnt do subtlety. at ALL. so if you like big dumb brash films this will prob be your thing. it is sort of like being smacked in the head repeatedly and not in a great way but the fake pulp fiction technique used does still have a certain appeal, its just that it feels so dumb lol. and tho it was nice to see the cast in their knickers so much, it made it feel like a bit of an underwear advert. not that i minded, but it was just too blatant. its like a lot of modern british films, trying to ape the american blockbusters, but not quite pulling off that slickness. reminded me a bit of dead man running, that danny dyer film a while back. the eve and smith cameos were pretty cringey to be honest. basically, this is like sex and the city, but british, with less of a budget (but trying to seem like it did cost more) and a thriller. not surprised its gotten released at the same time. am surprised noel clarke gets so much coverage tho - the guy can not act! and not surprised empire gave it a good review after appearing in the film, or that he gets other characters to big up his in the film, despite his character not being at all likeable lol.

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Hannah rumbold said...

Posted on Jun 03 2010 17:12 Well I thought it was brillant I'm 18 and been though alot in my life I can really understand this film let's face it young do get pressured into alot of things they should say no to but we all feel like doing some stuff we really shouldn't but that's what we are like I'm a young mum and I love Noel Clarke he's great and we have alot more 2 come from him x

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Mat said...

Posted on Jun 02 2010 15:06 I agree with angela, the movie is very funny. It doesn't take itself too seriously and was very slick. Seen a lot of boring blockbusters lately and this was sooo much more entertaining and unpredictable. Extra star for being British and not gray.

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Elisabeth said...

Posted on May 30 2010 20:13 This movie confused me to death, the plot was not well thought through and it feels like being in a cinema labyrinth...totally confused...i actually loved watching emmma roberts acting and Tamsin as well but the rest of the crew were really a bunch of wanna be amateurs..what can be said...absolute lack of talent...another example of a British movie gone bad with an effort to seem american... with a better story and a better cast this movie could have potential, no doubt about it, lets just hope the director learns his lessson from this mistake.

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Nikola said...

Posted on May 28 2010 11:42 again,the overall feel of this movie does not leave any deep impressions, and makes you wonder what was their final point. I had to force myself to keep an eye on the screen as this must be the biggest flop of Noel Clarke. I hope that this so called Tarantino copy will not come out any time soon to torture us with their banality. I was watching the movie with my 3 friends and i must they followed the weak impressions with me. I hope Emma Roberts will do better choices in future cause she is still very talented actress.Anyone with a taste for good movie should avoid this screening.

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angela said...

Posted on May 26 2010 19:03 I don't agree. I loved it! it was hilarious.

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roberto said...

Posted on May 26 2010 17:01 i was at the premiere of this film and the film lack of talented actors ,shanika shes really bad in this film ,,she didnt fit the part ,atherwise nice cinematography , and plot ,but very predicatable and not enough engaging , emma roberts ,and tamsin egerton were by far the best actors in this film the rest of the crew were not properly cast and kill this film ,,could ve been better anyway i watch the film for free thanks god ,and please stay away of this film

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