If you’ve seen 12 Years a SlaveorHunger, you’ll know that the words joy and romance don’t really go hand in hand with the works of Steve McQueen. It comes as something of a surprise then, that both are in abundance in Lovers Rock, the latest short film in his Small Axe anthology on BBC, which proves a vibrant ode to Caribbean party culture, and shows that the director knows more than doom and gloom.
With series opener Mangrove, McQueen provided a gripping story about civil unrest, with flashes of the joyful parties where black people could briefly escape the claws of racism in the 60s. Shifting focus to London in 1980, Lover’s Rock takes the concept of a party and runs with it, setting most of its short running time within the confines of a house party that runs into the early hours. The plot, such as there is one, follows the coming together of smooth-talker Franklyn (Top Boy’s Michael Ward) and headstrong Martha (impressive newcomer Amarah-Jae St. Aubyn), who brilliantly scales down her drainpipe to attend the party without alerting her parents. Mostly though, as with the best of parties, you are encouraged to go with the flow, and see where the night takes its characters.
There may have been doubts about whether McQueen’s style would suit this kind of material, but these are dispelled within the opening minutes. McQueen’s signature long takes create a sense of feverous anticipation from the start, lingering on the preparation of speakers, the cooking of curry goat, and the excited chatter of party guests. From the moment the music plays - kicked off by a hilarious rendition of Kung Fu Fighting - cinematographer Shabier Kirchner places you at the heart of the action, snaking around the waists of the dancers as they grind, link hands, and sing along to a range of reggae, soul and lovers rock. It feels so authentic and lived-in that it’s hard to feel like you aren’t there yourself.
This being a McQueen joint, there are flashes of drama, particularly concerning the arrival of the troubled Clifton (Sex Education’s Kedar Williams-Stirling) and the menacing Bammy (Daniel Francis-Swaby). For the most part though, this is a film that addresses issues like racial tension with a meaningful glance to a menacing mob, keeping the drama very much to the side of the dance floor. Thankfully, this lack of stakes doesn’t make the film any less engaging. As well as being McQueen’s funniest film yet - the sight of young men getting rebuffed on the dance floor never gets old - it also nails the romance at its heart, coasting on the easy chemistry of Ward and St. Aubyn, whose assured debut performance is the best of the film. You may not get many opportunities to party it up in 2020, but Lovers Rock comes pretty close to the real deal.
A joyous and soulful celebration of Caribbean music and culture, Lovers Rock is a party you won’t want to end.
