Almost Adult

Well meaning but drab dramatic investigation into the lives of young refugees seeking asylum in the UK from first-time director Yousaf Ali Kahn. The easy-on-the-eye, soft focus camera work does no favours for the listless struggle of the two protagonists, Shiku (Warungu), who is fostered by a lower middle class Birmingham family, and Congolese Mamie (Milandu), who is exploited by a local kingpin. There is also the sense that the director has sacrificed plot and characterisation in order to force a broader depiction of the experience of immigrancy, and while it does little to stimulate those with a basic understanding of the issues, it would probably meet a more receptive target if it were shown in schools.