The prospect of yet another Hackney-hoodie crime drama hardly quickens the blood, yet writer-director Sally El Hosaini’s contribution to the genre, My Brother the Devil, is more thoughtful and original than most.
It’s the tale of two brothers from an Egyptian family living on an East London housing estate, Mo, (Fady Elsayed), the younger, itching to get involved in gang life, while drug dealer Rashid (James Floyd), the elder, is discovering a new world beyond the ‘ends’. As Rash tries both to dissuade his hero-worshipping brother from following in his footsteps and to extricate himself from crime, his developing friendship with French-Arab photographer Sayyid (played by La Haine actor Saïd Taghmaoui) opens up new emotional and professional possibilities.
Charting this story, El Hosaini opens up new possibilities for the British urban crime film too, exploring the clash of values among second-generation immigrants, fraternal bonds and sexuality as well as gang violence. Her direction is similarly fresh, getting the most from vivid performances and David Raedeker’s striking cinematography, and making El Hosaini a deserved winner of Best British Newcomer prize at this year’s London Film Festival.
In cinemas from Friday 9th November.
