TV Review - Small Axe: Mangrove

Director and co-writer Steve McQueen (12 Years a Slave and Hunger) has created an anthology series of films. He's put together five, individual films that are linked thematically, all of them relating the Black or Afro-Caribbean experience in London, England, from the 1960's to the 1980's. They are being broadcast one at a time on BBC One, leading up to Christmas. They can be regarded as a collective expression of a specific community in a crucial time in history or they can be regarded individually as unique and powerful stories. With the exception of one, most of McQueen's films deal with racism and the racial tensions between the Afro-Caribbean community and the police. Even though McQueen reportedly conceived of this series in 2010 before the foundation of the Black Lives Matter movement, his films couldn't be more timely and relevant. Given what happened in the United States earlier this year in the wake of the George Floyd death and the subsequent protests, his films and particularly this first one are reflective of that but from a British perspective.

The film starts with a title that lets the audience know that the setting is Notting Hill, London, 1968. For those who aren't familiar with the city of London, that might not mean anything at first. For those of a certain age, the only reference point would be the film Notting Hill (1999) starring Hugh Grant and Julia Roberts. However, there is a stark contrast between that romantic comedy and this legal drama. One contrast is simply both film's depiction of the setting. Obviously, the 1999 flick was reflective of the gentrification that had eliminated a strong black community that used to inhabit that area. McQueen's film pivots back to show and immerse us in that black community that was essentially kicked out. McQueen's film also hopes to show why that black community was kicked out.

Shaun Parkes (Lost in Space and The River) stars as Frank Crichlow, a black man who owns the Mangrove Restaurant on All Saints Road. It's a restaurant that serves and specializes in West Indian cuisine. West Indian refers to the West Indies, or the chain of islands in the Caribbean Sea, islands that have a large African population. Frank himself is from Trinidad, the southern-most island in that chain. He's therefore an immigrant to England, but he wanted a place that would represent his Trinidadian people and the Caribbean community at large. However, regardless of origins, Frank's restaurant became a safe space for all black people.

As a result, it became a meeting place for organizations like the Black Panther Party. Even though the Black Panther Party was founded in the United States, it had chapters in the United Kingdom and other international locations. The film doesn't provide a lot of the context or backstory, but, in the United States, various race riots had begun, as they had begun all over the world, even the UK. Black people were fighting for equality in what's referred to as the Civil Rights Movement. It was happening and coming to a head, not only in the USA but also in the UK, and black people used places like the Mangrove Restaurant to organize protests and other activities. As such, the restaurant became a target of police. Unfairly so, the police raided Frank's place over and over, expressing their racist and/or xenophobic motivations.

Letitia Wright (Black Panther and My Brother the Devil) co-stars as Altheia Jones, a woman involved with the Black Panther Party. She represents them through union organizing. She's working to get workers in the area to join together and form work groups in order to bargain for better wages or other benefits. She can't ignore the raids and all the other abuses that the police are doing. She along with others in the neighborhood decide to stage a protest. However, the protest erupts into chaos, mainly due to police acting aggressively and the protesters trying to defend themselves.

Unfortunately, the British government decides to prosecute some of the protesters with riot charges. This leads to a lengthy trial where some of the protesters had to represent or defend themselves in the courtroom as well. Nine of the protesters were on trial, including Frank and Altheia. These protesters were known as the Mangrove Nine. Because it was so recent, a lot of people compared this film to Aaron Sorkin's The Trial of the Chicago 7 (2020). The comparisons aren't simply due to proximity of mainstream release, but there are other similarities too. Yet, McQueen isn't trying to juggle the personalities and perspectives of the whole group. McQueen pares it down to just three of the nine.

Malachi Kirby (Roots and My Brother the Devil) also co-stars as Darcus Howe, a fellow member of the Black Panther Party. He was also from Trinidad like Frank and even worked for Frank at the Mangrove Restaurant. Of course, when the protests were being organized, he was involved and, yes, he did become one of the Mangrove Nine. Why he's a focus here, over the other protesters, is because when the trial begins, Darcus decides to represent himself. It's not underscored, but Darcus did study to go to law school. The odds are stacked against him, but watching him figure out and fight the system is entertaining. Kirby's performance here is what steals the show. He becomes the clear standout.

Not Rated but contains language and violence.
Running Time: 2 hrs. and 4 mins.

Available on Amazon Prime.