Editor’s note: This review was originally published at the 2023 London Film Festival. Netflix releases the film on its streaming platform on Friday, January 19.
At an edition of the London Film Festival where themes spilled off the screens and onto the streets, “The Kitchen” was a prescient Closing Night choice. The directorial debut for both Daniel Kaluuya and architect-turned-filmmaker Kibwe Tavares screened to press on Sunday morning, meters away from Piccadilly Circus where, hours previously, the famous Eros statue was draped in Palestine flags during a peaceful demonstration in solidarity with people in danger of being wiped off the face of the earth.
The threat of an already dispossessed community losing their homes and lives undergirds the near-future North London-set dystopia of “The Kitchen.” If the relationship drama at its core doesn’t fully connect with the elegant brutalism of its visual language, there is, nevertheless, a lot to admire in both aspects.
At an edition of the London Film Festival where themes spilled off the screens and onto the streets, “The Kitchen” was a prescient Closing Night choice. The directorial debut for both Daniel Kaluuya and architect-turned-filmmaker Kibwe Tavares screened to press on Sunday morning, meters away from Piccadilly Circus where, hours previously, the famous Eros statue was draped in Palestine flags during a peaceful demonstration in solidarity with people in danger of being wiped off the face of the earth.
The threat of an already dispossessed community losing their homes and lives undergirds the near-future North London-set dystopia of “The Kitchen.” If the relationship drama at its core doesn’t fully connect with the elegant brutalism of its visual language, there is, nevertheless, a lot to admire in both aspects.
- 10/15/2023
- by Sophie Monks Kaufman
- Indiewire
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.