Gang violence is increasingly common on the streets and Khan has made a good attempt to capture the anger and frustration of those trapped inside its cyclical nature.
The peak of the narrative is undoubtedly the group session that both protagonists attend. The film briefly becomes a matrix of stories, interconnected by pain. The performances of these peripheral characters are excellent in conveying a weight of emotion not present in the first third.
The story and characters of the protagonists could perhaps benefit from a little refining. At times it feels like the larger concerns of the film are too excluded from the main narrative, resulting in the protagonists suffering a loss of direction. The ambiguity of Abed’s character has potential but could benefit from development alongside Bari’s narrative arc in order to make the final third less jarring after the tender displays of real pain and struggle in the middle section. It feels like the film needs to grow into the space it has created and decide on a direction to take.