by Jake Bourgeois, Contributing Writer
As I teased a couple of weeks ago, January is apparent the month for Netflix to debut feature firsts for Hollywood names.
Earlier this month, Good Grief, Dan Levy’s directorial debut, released on Netflix. Now, it’s time for The Kitchen, Daniel Kaluuya’s feature directorial debut on the streamer.
The film follows Izi (Kane Robinson), a resident in social housing known as The Kitchen in a dystopian, futuristic London where social housing has been eliminated. As he eyes his escape to greener pastures, he makes a connection with a young boy (Jedaiah Bannerman), who he takes under his wing. The lone wolf and cub archetype is one you’ve seen hundreds of times, but the fresh and new perspective on it is enough to make it feel new. I was impressed with Robinson in the lead role in my first experience watching him act. Though I know Top Boy has been well-received, I never checked it out. The young co-lead, Bannerman, is making his debut and is really impressive, as he helps bring to life a relationship crucial to the film’s success. Not bad for a first credit of any kind.
The Kitchen is a movie with a lot of firsts. It’s a feature directorial debut for both Kaluuya and his directing partner, Kibwe Tavares. It’s also Kaluuya’s feature writing debut, as well as the feature first for his screenwriting partner, Joe Murtagh. The trio had only ever directed or written shorts to this point. I love the vibe they bring to life; it’s a real strength. Firstly, the film is shot gorgeously. It’s clear that Kaluuya and Tavares have a good eye for image-making. There are the odd moments where the visual effects can let the film down, but those are merely slight distractions. Secondly, the eye-catching visuals pair wonderfully with some well-written social commentary. The residents, mostly Black, live in sub-standard conditions and are under constant surveillance by the police state — with near constant raiding which features brutal tactics.
That all comes together to create the real star of the show — The Kitchen community. For a visual comparison, it reminded me a bit of the layout in Dredd — minus some of the more high-tech security measures. Though they don’t have much, protecting each other from the dangers they face is paramount, and the warning system for an incoming raid is a community-wide effort. There’s also a vibrancy to the community, whether that’s at the club or at the marketplace they always have to rebuild. Seeing the cultures of the residents intermingle is great. The community very much feels easy to connect to, and fits into the London the film portrays.
A big part of that community is the music. A central character to the plot is Lord Kitchener (Ian Wright), the DJ and public address announcer of sorts at The Kitchen. He is an absolute scene-stealer, and I was not prepared for when I found out that Wright is a former soccer player and current pundit. Aside from just the character of Lord Kitchener, the music as a whole is another strength of the film, and that’s not surprising given that Labrinth (involved heavily in Euphoria) led the department, alongside Alex Baranowski.
If I’m honest, I don’t really have much experience with Black British media, outside of their soccer league, which is why I think I enjoyed this experience so much. It gave me a glimpse into a part of my pop culture portfolio that is sorely underdeveloped. Even more exciting, perhaps, is the new names that I’m now at least a little familiar with. Outside of Kaluuya, Wright, Labrinth, and a surprise executive producer credit from Michael Fassbender, the names are all new to me, and I can’t wait to see what Kaluuya and the rest of the creative cooks in The Kitchen whip up next.
Rating: Liked It
The Kitchen is currently streaming on Netflix
You can read more from Jake Bourgeois, and follow him on Twitter and Letterboxd