source: Ali & Ava

This is my first time I write a review. I found this movie so so beautiful. It made me cry and laugh, so its worthy. Finally a love story that doesn't look like a expensive fragance TV advertisment (aka: Call me by your name...). Complex characters, in complex situations (low class), with complex backgrounds (child trauma, violent experiences...) that fall in love but also they discover himselfs. And finally two main characters that doesn't seem like fashion models!!! People with assimetries and with imperfecions!! Music has a very important narrative paper, and not also love its discussed at this beautiful movie, because it also talks about racism and masclism!! Oh, as an actor, I found the acting amazing. They won't be nominated for any rewards because they dont look like models and are not in Hollywood, but I dont care. I'm sure they recieve the same love that they give to be in such amazing characters. 100% worthy.

This is the sort of British cinema that used to be called gritty kitchen sink drama, before it just became... drama. Either way this is a rather good one. Set in Yorkshire with a cast of relatable characters, telling a recognisable story, it's easy to watch, whilst being uneasy. Even if this world doesn't represent your life, I'm sure everyone can find something in what's a pretty layered narrative. Ali (Adeel Akhtar) and Ava (Claire Rushbrook) meet when people in their social spheres merge. He's the landlord for a family with a young girl called Sofia and Ava is Sofia's teacher or the assistant teacher that helps Sofia with learning difficulties. That might seem like an unlikely catalyst, but Ali and Ava are both people who go out of their way to help people. Ali in particular is able to break down boundaries with his out going child like excitable nature. Some boundaries run deep though. Ali has problems at home that he's trying to deny and as he and Ava grow closer, he's faced with issues in Ava's world too. Akhtar is brilliant, he always is. I've seen him more in TV, but here as a lead in a feature, with more screen time, he flourishes. Ali and Ava are from different cultures, different parts of town and although they warm to one another, those around them aren't so keen. It's pretty depressing truth be told, but life can be. It's hard work sometimes and no matter what you do, happiness can be hard to find and harder to hold on to, but hang in there. There's no big set pieces here, no flashy cinematic tricks. This is simple, raw and honest filmmaking. A thought provoking window into lives that may tell us more about ourselves than we realise.

"Ali & Ava" is a beautiful little indie flick (lensed by one of my favourite cinematographers, Ole Bratt Birkeland) that's well worth the time of anyone questioning whether tuning in is a worthwhile investment. Clio Barnard (the director) does an astonishing job here, cramming in impressive amounts of emotional depth & taking these characters on a meaningful journey in the space of just 90 minutes. She uses music & visual filmmaking to convey a plethora of information to the audience without ever having to linger for too long to stress the points she's trying to make on screen. Therefore, she provides the project with a natural concision & purposefulness which I found appreciable. What's more, I like how this is a rare love story between 2 middle aged people who aren't conventionally beautiful; Claire Rushbrook (who's genuinely incredible here) is 50 & Adeel Akhtar (another great actor, playing her love interest) is 41... Yet you don't usually see movies exploring newly forming relationships between individuals who are their age so this feels like a genuine breath of fresh air - & it's captured so intimately & with such sincerity, you can't help but be in awe of the poignancy of the tale being told. Loved each & every moment.

An earnest film what in the 60s would have been classed as a kitchen sink drama.the ensemble acting very good including a bafta nominated role by Adeel akthar.as the title of my review suggests the subject is about trust moving forward and letting go of the past. An ending is left vague as is life.

This against-all-odds relationship story I found a touch slow and I didn't buy the story either. I found although well acted by both leads, they just didn't have chemistry together. She is twice as big as him. He is to Asian and she is to Northern. Why is Ali collecting his Hungarian tenant's little girl from school? Why are those kids stoning Ali's car then getting in the car which is very strange behaviour. I found Ali got on my nerves and the music particulary the techno very irritating. The actions of both leads was dubious. Would Ali really have pursued a relationship after being threatened by the racist son with that sword? Would she have pursued a relationship with him knowing how her family would react? Would she have allowed Ali to sleep in her racist sons bed overnight? She put him there yet he could have gone home. They both appeared to live in rundown houses, yet she was a school teacher and he owned properties. Rather focusing on influencing each other on music tastes, they could have made more of the racist element of her son. The funniest part of the movie is when the son comes out wearing those national front boots. Why is the son almost always holding the baby. Just didn't believe it that much.

It was very slow at the start. I know it is an introduction to the characters, but it is clear what is going to happen and where it is going. I found the depiction of life in the UK very unsettling and alarming. Has British culture really sunk this low? We are preached to daily about racism, but here it is in full flow. No matter the outcome, if racism is evident for most of the film it has to be a negative. The language was simply awful. If you take out the Fs there wasn't much dialogue.

It wears its emotional beats well and features a relationship that's easy to root for, but a growing sense emerges that none of the conversations you'd want/expect to be had make it to screen. A blindsidingly abrupt ending cuts the potential drama short and it doesn't do its complicated family dynamics and themes of parenthood & racism justice. So subtle that it just about qualifies as lipservixe. Mental illness, loneliness, domestic abuse and intersectionality rear their head briefly, but this isn't a story willing or fit to make them...relevant. Beautiful, likeable performances (even able to make a Landlord sympathetic!) but considering how genuine the core of the film is, I wish there were more closure or resolution to the social stigmas & gross family members that hassled them all movie.

Ali & Ava: A moving story set in Bradford, a few pub scenes with Grace and Dirty Old Town sung, very much about the emigrant experience i the next generation. Cultural difference are overcome but families can still cause problems. A Ken Loach sort of film, although Ali is a landlord. A love story, Ali is separated from his younger wife, Ava is older than Ali, her violent husband dead. Some crazy scenes with stone throwing kids and Ali dancing on the roof of his car. He really has rhythm! Slow moving in some ways but I found it a sensitive and entertaining film. Written and Directed by Clio Barnard, 8/10.

It took a couple of days of pondering on this film to fully grasp how beautiful, raw and honest it is. I grew up on a council estate about 5 miles from Holme wood - which was very similar. The film captures how even in the same community/town how classism and prejudice is directed at people living on the estate (echoes my own experiences of people living in the village down the road often judging those who lived on the estate and my own family members even judging). Also the way is captures the subtle racial tensions between communities ... that never feel outright but are present. It also captures how these communities co-exist and get on also.. Initially when I left the cinema I felt frustrated that there was no complete resolution - no holding family members to account - but after a couple of days I realised that's the beauty of the ending. It's real - often we don't hold family members to account. We forgive them too quickly, we listen to their opinions but half the time end up doing what we want regardless Thank you to the team for capturing these communities and putting it the screen!