X

2020
R
Paramount Pictures
1 h 31 m

2020
R
Paramount Pictures
1 h 31 m

Summary Best friends Timmy (Stephen Odubola) and Marco (Micheal Ward) go to the same high school in Peckham, but live in neighboring London boroughs. When Marco’s beaten up by one of Timmy’s primary school friends the two boys wind up on rival sides of a never-ending cycle of gang war in which there are no winners …only victims.

Written By: Rapman

2020
R
Paramount Pictures
1 h 31 m

2020
R
Paramount Pictures
1 h 31 m

Blue Story

Metascore Generally Favorable Based on 15 Critic Reviews

69

User Score Generally Favorable Based on 5 User Ratings

6.8

My Score

Hover and click to give a rating Saved

Where to Watch

Summary Best friends Timmy (Stephen Odubola) and Marco (Micheal Ward) go to the same high school in Peckham, but live in neighboring London boroughs. When Marco’s beaten up by one of Timmy’s primary school friends the two boys wind up on rival sides of a never-ending cycle of gang war in which there are no winners …only victims.

Written By: Rapman

Where to Watch

Critic Reviews

Metascore

Generally Favorable Based on 15 Critic Reviews

67% Positive
10 Reviews

33% Mixed
5 Reviews

0% Negative
0 Reviews

All Reviews
Positive Reviews
Mixed Reviews
Negative Reviews

Critic Reviews

Metascore

Generally Favorable Based on 15 Critic Reviews

67% Positive
10 Reviews

33% Mixed
5 Reviews

0% Negative
0 Reviews

All Reviews
Positive Reviews
Mixed Reviews
Negative Reviews

May 7, 2020

Blue Story, at its essence, is a narrative you’ve seen before. But Onwubolu vests it with firecracker energy — the pace never drags, even when you think you know what’s going to happen next.

By Stephanie Zacharek FULL REVIEW

Los Angeles Times

May 5, 2020

It’s a Shakespearean rhapsody in indigo where love, friendship, betrayal and revenge swirl and blur with life-changing consequences.

By Kevin Crust FULL REVIEW

May 4, 2020

There are times when the familiarity of the urban melodrama hurts Blue Story, particularly in the lack of depth to his characters. (Odubola is a find, but the rest of the cast has some actors who feel a bit amateur.)

By Brian Tallerico FULL REVIEW

The Hollywood Reporter

May 4, 2020

While the rough-hewn filmmaking occasionally reveals Rapman's lack of experience working with a larger cinematic canvas, Blue Story boasts an immediacy and energy that perfectly suit the material.

By Frank Scheck FULL REVIEW

Entertainment Weekly

May 6, 2020

As a director, Onwubolu brings a tender, vivid touch the film’s relationships — particularly Timmy’s giddy plunge into first love with the fiercely independent Leah (Karla Simone-Spence) — though he stumbles when it comes to building deeper storylines around them; there's almost no narrative turn that doesn't seem telegraphed from the jump.

By Leah Greenblatt FULL REVIEW

May 5, 2020

The musical interludes in which Rapman narrates significant plot points offer a welcome change of pace, but the subject matter at play here is a little too common to truly stand out from the pack.

May 4, 2020

Blue Story doesn’t reinvent the wheel when it comes to films about turf wars, but its personal, humanizing themes about friendship, love, youth, and black masculinity keeps you riveted, Onwubolu’s lyrical respites aside.

By Candice Frederick FULL REVIEW

See All 15 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

User Score

Generally Favorable Based on 5 User Ratings

60% Positive
3 Ratings

40% Mixed
2 Ratings

0% Negative
0 Ratings

User Reviews

User Score

Generally Favorable Based on 5 User Ratings

60% Positive
3 Ratings

40% Mixed
2 Ratings

0% Negative
0 Ratings

There are no user reviews yet. Be the first to add a review.

Details

Production Company BBC Film, DJ Films, Joi Productions, Paramount Pictures, WrushMedia

Release Date May 5, 2020

Duration 1 h 31 m

Rating R

Genres

Tagline Their Bond Made Them Brothers. The Streets Made Them Enemies.

View All Details

Awards

National Film Awards, UK

• 13 Nominations

NME Awards

• 1 Win & 1 Nomination

The Casting Directors' Guild Awards

• 1 Win & 1 Nomination

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