Review of The Hard Stop (2016) by Kat C — 20 Jul 2016

I cannot recommend this film highly enough.

In August 2011, a young unarmed black man was shot by the police. The media said "yeah but he was a bad guy" and the public said "ah well he probably deserved it then". This film shows the man behind the headlines, the humanity, and the grieving community left behind.

The film also gives what feels like a very intimate and honest insight into the lives of young black men growing up on the Broadwater Farm estate in Tottenham - it's raw and hard to watch at times but there is humour and hope as well as frustration and despair.

I've never really faced discrimination or prejudice and I've had opportunities handed to me on a plate my whole life, so it's hard to put myself in the shoes of the protagonists. The power of this film for me is that it challenges your assumptions and prejudices and allows you to relate as human beings.

I have a huge amount of respect for Marcus and Kurtis for putting themselves and their lives out there for everyone to see, warts and all, to try and get justice for their friend.

A must-see...