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4.3.2.1

In our continual quest to achieve sixth-form top-reviewer status, Itchy uses everything at its disposal. So when a screening of Noel Clarke's latest offering was proposed to us, we imagined it to be the perfect opportunity to polish off the old prison shank and get back to the peak of that gang-slanging haystack. However, as it turns out, 4.3.2.1 isn't quite what Itchy had envisaged...

Again set in Clarke's favoured dwelling, London, 4.3.2.1 moves away from KiDULTHOOD's rude boy dominance (if only partially), instead choosing to follow the lives of four scandalously attractive, yet massively different, girlfriends as their four lives become entwined on a fate-induced collision course.

Cassandra (Tamsin Egerton) is jetting of to New York in search of a virginity stealing cyber geek; Kerrys (Shanika Warren-Markland) fills her days drinking jellified Viagra's and coke with her “friend”; Joanne (Emma Roberts) is seemingly working 100 hour weeks; and Shannon (Ophelia Lovibond), well Shannon is spiralling into a world of Pringle obsessed self-hate, but it's the chance encounter with a gang of mid-level Diamond thieves that sets this Brit-thriller's wheels in motion.

Clarke's non-linear approach to chronology sees the film opening at the end, with the camera panning in on a teary Shannon. As she paws at a fist of diamonds atop an ominously high bridge, the film rewinds and plays events from the four perspectives of our leads, each time bringing us closer to the depicted finale.

There are some moments when the BAFTA award winner shows his potential. In particular, the choppy kung-fu style fight scenes are humorous, with the punches resembling Itchy's very own right-left combo. And Gregg Chilin depicts Kerrys' half-brother, Manuel, in good style, with jestering that is genuinely quite funny at times.

Despite this, the characters spit predictable idioms, which are delivered at moments when they perhaps wouldn't have been in a real life situation. As a result, the overall dialogue isn't totally convincing and allows you to delve no deeper into a characters motive than their actions allow.

Amid a storyline that involves more nutcases and chance encounters than an adultfriendfinder meet; the film does boast a certain symmetrical consistency. Successive chapters provide new, carefully telegraphed revelations and explanations (including the need for a Pringle fetish), but an overly complicated plot, and the writing in of irrelevant cameos (yes, that really is Eve), suggests it is trying too hard to do everything. Clarke introduces the viewer to a wealth of characters, but never substantiates them with any depth.

If you're a fan of Noel Clarke, it's probably worth a watch, but Itchy would suggest sticking to his prior outings. Daleks please.

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