Back home

Urban Hymn

23 votes

Producing House

Set against the backdrop of the 2011 UK summer riots, Jamie, a young female offender who possesses a remarkable voice, meets a determined social worker who inspires her to use it.

movie

Status: Released

Released Date: 2015-09-11

Runtime: 114 mins

Director: Michael Caton-Jones

Writer: Nick Moorcroft

Spoken language: English

Genres: Crime, Drama

Original title: Urban Hymn

Production Companies: Kreo Films, Eclipse Films, Dashishah Global Film Production, Powderkeg Pictures, Head Gear Films

Production Countries: United Kingdom

Reviews

r

r96sk
Excellent! <em>'Urban Hymn'</em> is much more heartfelt and meaningful than I thought it would be. It avoids doing the usual, over-the-top thing of making every kid in the film a wannabe gangster and making them all silly criminals. Don't get me wrong, it does have shades of that but I feel it portrays it in a much more subtle manner than most films of this type do. The cast are brilliant. Letitia Wright gives a superb performance as Jamie, I believed in her character from the get-go; which is thanks to the writing et al. but also to Wright. Isabella Laughland as Leanne is very good, as is Shirley Henderson as Kate. The support cast are also well chosen. One thing I will note is that the film does peak a little too early. The first half of it is fantastic, as is the rest all in all but it does drop off slightly once everything's been understood. It is also somewhat predictable, though that's not a negative thing if the production makes it work - which this does. Well worth your viewing time. A weighty story with a convincing cast.
2020-08-14

Recommendations

Not For, or Against (Quite the Contrary)
3

Not For, or Against (Quite the Contrary)

2003-03-05

"Ni Pour, Ni Contre" tracks the fall of a young TV camerawoman, Caty, after she becomes involved wit

Short Circuit 2
3.1

Short Circuit 2

1988-07-06

Robot Johnny 5 moves to the city to help his friend Ben Jahrvi with his toy manufacturing enterprise

Mad Money
3.2

Mad Money

2008-01-17

Three female employees of the Federal Reserve plot to steal money that is about to be destroyed.

The Pink Panther
2.9

The Pink Panther

2006-02-10

When the coach of the France soccer team is killed by a poisoned dart in the stadium in the end of a

Middle of Nowhere
2.9

Middle of Nowhere

2008-09-06

The film follows Grace, a young woman whose irresponsible mother blows her college fund on her young

Bart Got a Room
2.8

Bart Got a Room

2008-04-25

High school loser Danny Stein needs a prom date. As a cause of anxiety for Danny, Bart Beeber, the n

Varg Veum - Yours Until Death
3

Varg Veum - Yours Until Death

2008-03-12

Private eye Varg Veum is on a routine mission searching for his client Jonas Andresen's stolen car.

Softie
3.5

Softie

2022-03-09

Ten-year-old Johnny stands out from his family and his tough neighborhood in Eastern France. He's se

Coming Out
1.5

Coming Out

2011-05-11

Joel has finally made up his mind, or so he thinks. Tonight he's going to tell his parents, but is t

Carmilla
2.9

Carmilla

2020-07-17

Isolated from the outside world, fifteen-year-old Lara lives in seclusion on a vast country estate w

Breaking Away
3.5

Breaking Away

1979-05-24

Dave, nineteen, has just graduated high school, with his three friends: the comical Cyril, the warm

Extreme Prejudice
3.1

Extreme Prejudice

1987-04-24

Lean, mean Texas Ranger Jack Benteen locks horns with a former friend, Cash Bailey, now a ruthless d

Heatwave
0.5

Heatwave

2021-12-21

The tense relationship between a mother and son reaches a climax during a summer heatwave.

Mother Says
0

Mother Says

2023-12-18

The film follows different stages in the life of Sofía, a young girl born in Argentina of Chinese de

Wasteland
0

Wasteland

2021-07-30

Follows the quiet day of a lonely young girl who tries to survive in a post-apocalyptic world.

Oliverio and the Pool
2.5

Oliverio and the Pool

2022-02-03

When something unexpected happens in Oliverio’s family, all he wants to do is walk away. He settles

Howard
0

Howard

1957-01-01

Howard Mitchell is a responsible young man who will soon be graduating from high school. He works at

Youth in Revolt
3.1

Youth in Revolt

2009-09-11

As a fan of Albert Camus and Jean-Luc Godard, teenage Nick Twisp is definitely out of his element wh

Prayers for Bobby
4

Prayers for Bobby

2009-01-24

Bobby Griffith was his mother's favorite son, the perfect all-American boy growing up under deeply r

The Pack
2.3

The Pack

2020-10-08

When his family moves to the city of Zlín and 16-year-old David joins a new hockey team, the Wolves,