By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 4.9
Director: Clio Barnard
Starring: Adeel Akhtar | Claire Rushbrook | Macy Shackleton | Shaun Thomas
Country: united_kingdom
Year: 2022
Running time: 95
IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt11559472/reference/
Diane says: “Director Clio Barnard returns to the city of Bradford in Yorkshire, also the location for her gobsmacking THE ARBOR (2010). But this one is a more straightforward feature, and a bit of an homage to Fassbinder’s ALI: FEAR EATS THE SOUL. Ava is a teacher’s assistant and a grandmother five times over; Ali is a young DJ turned landlord. When he comes to pick up his friend’s daughter at school, something clicks between them.
“A special gift to fans of music that’s really meaningful to the story. 5 cats, with lots of noms coming.”
Julie B. responds: “I just finished this and I too will be giving lots of noms. 5 cats as well. Loved the editing combined with the music and the two leads were fantastic as were several supportings.”
Michael says: “Clio Barnard, innovative director of the Buried Treasure nominated pseudo-doc THE ARBOR, has created a nearly perfect adult romance with ALI & AVA. the third of her four films to be shot in the city of Bradford in England. Led by a pair of terrific acting performances from Adeel Akhtar (THE BIG SICK, FOUR LIONS) and Claire Rushbrook (SECRETS & LIES; AMMONITE) the film charts the tentative love story of two Bradford natives in their forties both emerging from challenging relationships. Ali is a landlord who lives with his Pakistani family and is a bit of an anomaly, as he is beloved by his tenants. He and his younger wife are recently estranged, but still live in the same flat with the rest of the family, whom they have not told about their separation. Ava works as a teaching assistant, comes from an Irish-Catholic background, has a complicated relationship with her adult children, and an even more complicated relationship with her deceased husband. One the two meet their slow, quiet attraction develops into something more all while Barnard subtly weaves in issues around race, religion, abuse, and other grown-up issues in ways that are natural and powerful.
“One of the things that makes ALI & AVA so unique is how the story is told so strongly through music. Ali is a fan of techno and hip hop, while Ava adores country and folk. The fall in love and get to know each other through small acts of generosity and kindness, but also through their mutual love of music and the curiosity for each to learn more about the other. The film is hopeful, although not predictable or formulaic in any way. The cinematography by Ole Bratt Birkeland (THE ARBOR, FOUR LIONS) is stunning, both in the way it captures surprising beauty in some of the neighborhoods that exhibit the worst levels of social deprivation, and the extraordinary ways it captures the love story being told with powerful close-ups of the two leads. This one’s a real winner in so many categories, and Clio Barnard is a director to keep an eye on. 5 cats“
“One of the things that makes ALI & AVA so unique is how the story is told so strongly through music. Ali is a fan of techno and hip hop, while Ava adores country and folk. The fall in love and get to know each other through small acts of generosity and kindness, but also through their mutual love of music and the curiosity for each to learn more about the other. The film is hopeful, although not predictable or formulaic in any way. The cinematography by Ole Bratt Birkeland (THE ARBOR, FOUR LIONS) is stunning, both in the way it captures surprising beauty in some of the neighborhoods that exhibit the worst levels of social deprivation, and the extraordinary ways it captures the love story being told with powerful close-ups of the two leads. This one’s a real winner in so many categories, and Clio Barnard is a director to keep an eye on. 5 cats“
Chris says: “To quote American Bandstand, it has a good beat and you can dance to it. Also gratifying to see Akhtar and Rushbrook cast as romantic leads. 4.5 cats“
Ali & Ava