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Party like it’s 1999

Films about growing up in inner city London are usually rooted in gang culture (Kidulthood, Blue Story) or gang culture featuring aliens (Attack the Block). You don’t have to be a genius to work out that it’s time for a change. Thankfully, the first film from TV personality Reggie Yates sets its big heart on redressing that balance - a vibrant look at the joys and nostalgia of childhood friendship.

The plot is simple, following three eighteen year old friends as they come together to celebrate New Year’s Eve in 1999. Cappo (Elliot Edusah) returns from uni at a time where his best friends Two Tonne (Jordan Peters) and Kiddah (Reda Elazour) have blown up with their live radio sets as the ICC (Ice Cold Crew). While Two Tonne has his mind set on meeting his dream girl (Kassius Nelson) at a club in South London, Cappo doesn’t know how to tell his friends that he plans to leave as manager of the ICC.

As the trio face multiple mishaps to get to a party before midnight, it’s easy to think of Pirates as Superbad set in North London. But Pirates charts its own course of hilarity, with a sense of place and characters that feel truly authentic. Yates throws his heroes into a string of relatable comic scenarios, including a colourful appearance from Kiddah’s dodgy uncle (Youssef Kerkour), an ill-fated trip to the barbers and a hilarious encounter with the antagonistic waitress of a Caribbean restaurant (Shiloh Coke). Having lived it himself, Yates’ knowledge of the era is pitch-perfect - right down to the Tamagotchis and A-Z street maps.

It doesn’t all hang together - a complication in the final act feels kind of forced, while you don’t see much of the Pirates actually DJing. But Yates’ film is so lively and entertaining that you’ll barely notice, with an energy and fast pace that perfectly captures the spirit of being a teenager. It also helps that his cast are naturals in their first leading roles. As well as being likeable and funny, their personalities bounce off of each other so well that they easily convince as childhood friends. With this charismatic cast, Yates is able to sell the meaningful message at the film’s heart - it’s not the things you do, but the people you do them with.

With charming performances, sharp comedy, and a loving homage to the time period, Reggie Yates’ first film as writer-director is a riot. All aboard!

★★★★