I went into this film with no preconceptions about its nature. I was expecting a sort of bittersweet coming-of-age tale judging by the title alone. What i got was a gritty uncompromising tale of growing up in a drug infested section of Scotland. A very intelligent 15yr old youth is determined to reassemble his family upon the emanate return of his incarcerated Mother. He manages, with a certain tragic costs, to assimilate himself into the local crime gang and upon his mother's release from prison he is greeted with somewhat shocking repercussion's that lead to tragic consequences. The film rings true in every sense. We are treated to insights into lower-class Scottish society that maintain an authenticity that is hard to fake. All the performances are deftly handled and the script keeps you hanging on until the end. Overall, a very fine film.
Review of Sweet Sixteen
