Film Reviews

4.3.2.1

• Rating:
• Director:
• Starring: Emma Roberts
• Details: UK/116mins 15A

An ambitious, energetic but ultimately empty attempt at multiple narrative storytelling from Adulthood helmer, Noel Clarke; 4.3.2.1 is equally skilful and incoherent. The four main leads all have sufficient spunk and are given suitable screentime to impress, but an awkward timeline that shows one person's story, then reverses to a point to begin with another, is silly and far too contrived to buy. It seems strung together to include as many "edgy" lesbian sex scenes, and local gangster types wielding weapons as possible. Still, whoever said Girl Power was dead was sorely mistaken on the evidence of this British flick.
Four best friends living in London have a mental few days, the catalyst for which is a diamond heist in Antwerp, as some local wrong sorts manage to get their hands on the goods and inadvertently involve the four ladies. Shannon (Lovibond), an introverted arty sort with Mammy issues who has no one to talk to; Cassandra (Egerton), a talented model type with rich parents who heads to New York to meet the man of her dreams; Kerrys (Warren-Markland), the brassy one of the group who continually scraps with her half-brother; and Jo (Roberts), an American living in London, who works the night shift at the local 24 hour shop.
Opening with abrasive editing, giddy camera work and tonnes of attitude, the frantic tone here is obvious from the start. The problem with that is, the most affecting of all the narratives - Lovibond's ponderous self-harmer - feels like it belongs in a different film, not one exuding its style at every opportunity. When it impressively zips off to Manhattan with Egerton's pianist, things pick up and take a slight turn for the comedic, as Kevin Smith makes an amusing cameo, and Egerton's spoilt rich girl spends her folks' money. By the time we end up with Roberts' American teen to tie things up, the whole thing is a complete mess, strung together by coincidence.
The inclusion of Michelle Ryan as a mysterious, black-clad jewel thief feels like it belongs in a parody, not something that obviously wants to demonstrate moments of grittiness on the streets of London. When Clarke turns up as a bossy shift manager, he makes you wish he'd been on the screen consistently from the start. The Londoner has genuine presence, and is obviously multi-talented, here completing a rare quadruple threat - acting, writing, directing and producing.
When the film has fun with itself, it works very well, it just can't string things together in a believable manner to mimic the likes of similar efforts such as the superior Go - which was obviously an influence. It should still be commended for its ambition, style and (sometimes) execution; it just needed a hint more realism, or humour, to work unequivocally in either capacity.

Review by Mike Sheridan