Little Richard: I Am Everything (15)
Directed by Lisa Cortes
★★★★

HAILED as the “architect of rock ‘n’ roll” and in Little Richard’s own words “the originator and the emancipator,” this entertaining yet surprisingly moving account of his life and career also explores his legacy and the black queer origins of pop music. 

Richard Wayne Penniman, who was gay, was a trailblazer with a unique sound and flamboyant style whose on stage antics – jumping up and down on top of pianos while singing and taking his shirt off – were emulated by others. 

“He created the rock ‘n’ roll icon,” states Billy Porter, and he inspired and gave a helping hand or serious break to many up-and-coming performers including James Brown, The Beatles and The Rolling Stones, which is an eye-opener. His music, however, was appropriated by white artists who then sold many more records of his songs than he did.

Through archive footage, performance clips and interviews with his family, musicians and black queer scholars, Lisa Cortes’s thought-provoking documentary paints a complex portrait of a legendary artist and a complex, troubled man. After discovering God he had great difficulty reconciling his faith with his homosexuality which he renounced later in life. 

It also shows how he did not receive the recognition or accolades that he deserved during his career. He was very vocal about it at several award ceremonies which provide some of the most heartfelt moments in the film. 

You cannot help but feel angry and aggrieved for him but Cortes’s fascinating film redresses the balance and shows how he was everything. 
MD
Out in cinemas today

The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry (12A) 
Directed by Hettie Macdonald 
★★★

AN unremarkable man embarks on an incredible journey to visit a dying friend, capturing the heart of the nation in this quietly powerful drama about loss, grief and regret. 

Based on Rachel Joyce’s 2012 novel which she has adapted for the big screen, and directed by Hettie Macdonald, it features another towering performance by Jim Broadbent, who never disappoints. He plays Harold Fry who, heading to post a letter to his old friend Queenie (Linda Bassett) who has terminal cancer, decides to keep on walking in a bid to save her life. 

He heads from Devon to Berwick-upon-Tweed without informing his long-suffering wife Maureen (a phenomenal Penelope Wilton) who is totally distraught. On the way he meets an array of people from all walks of life who befriend him as he unwittingly becomes a national hero. 

Nature and the stunning English landscape also play a pivotal role in this drama which is about healing and taking a leap of faith as Harold faces his scariest demons which have been destroying his marriage. 

It is an unbelievably uplifting film in which you root for Harold to achieve the impossible. 
MD
Out in cinemas today

Rodeo (15)
Directed by Lola Quivoron 
★★★

A FEARLESS young woman attempts to break into the all-male world of illegal motorbike racing in Lola Quivoron’s high revving female-driven directorial debut feature. 

Mesmerising newcomer Julie Ledru plays Julia who decides to infiltrate a crew of dirt riders she meets at a Rodeo (where bikers show off their riding skills and stunts) who are working for an imprisoned gangster. With her innate and audacious ability to steal fancy bikes with style she soon earns a place on the team (although she isn’t welcomed by all) and makes friends with her boss’s wife (Antonia Buresi who co-wrote Rodeo with Quivoron).

Gritty and violent but with electrifying action scenes, Quivoron gives us a unique peek into a little known world brought to realistic life by a mainly non-professional cast. 

But it is Ledru who drives this baby home with her magnetic powerhouse performance. 
MD
Out in cinemas today

Polite Society (12A)
Directed by Nida Manzoor 
★★★★

A MARTIAL arts in training schoolgirl and wannabe stuntwoman believes she must save her older sister from her impending arranged nuptials in this wonderfully entertaining yet totally bonkers impressive debut feature from Nida Manzoor (We Are Lady Parts). 

Written and directed by Manzoor this is a non-stop, action-packed, witty and visually arresting female-driven comedy about sisterly love and following your dreams. It is Bend It Like Beckham meets Jane Austen with a splash of Bollywood colour and flair and lots of martial arts fighting, Jackie Chan-style, thrown in.

Exciting newcomer Priya Kansara lights up the screen as she totally kicks ass as the teenage British-born Pakistani Ria Khan. She ropes in her two best friends (Ella Bruccoleri and Seraphina Beh) and her school nemesis (Shona Babayemi) to stop her beloved sister Lena (the wonderful Ritu Arya), and art school dropout, from marrying the handsome and successful Salim (Akshay Khanna) whom Ria is convinced is evil. Plus his close relationship with his mother (Nimra Bucha) is truly disturbing and raises serious red flags.

Ending on a crazy showdown, this is just joyous fun.
MD
Out in cinemas today