Straight Through Crew

A night of partying turns dramatic for a group of youths.

It is Christmas Eve and a big dance party is going to take place in Andover. After a long time, Jamie (Pearce) arrives in town from London and gets back together with her friends Deanna (Mbuyambo) and Lisane (Laura Hall). The three of them decide to go to the social gathering and so do Aden (Craddock) and his two mates Richie (Rosato) and Jingle (James Douglas-Quarcoopome). Jamie and Aden used to be a couple and when they meet again at the party, things will get complicated.

A vivid story about youngsters, filled with confrontations, romance, self-reflection and plenty of drugs, alcohol and dancing. This film is about a night (or maybe a day actually) during which a bunch of young people get reflect on their lives and also deal with certain issues. A main subject is the relationship between Jamie and Aden, which appears to be rekindled and leads to drama, especially for Aden, who ends up going on a drug spree. Subplots involve Lisane's relationship with Stephanie (Ella Dunlop) and a rapport that is build between Jingle and an elderly woman. Most of the narrative takes place on the dance floor and follows Aden as he goes through misadventures while under the influence of drugs.

The screenplay effectively explores the characters, particularly Aden, an aimless young man who takes drugs (along with his friends) and seems unable to cope with how things are between him and Jamie.

The creative lighting techniques throughout the film stand out, along with Tom O'Keefe's moody cinematography. These, along with the fisheye lens that is utilised by the filmmakers create a dizzying atmosphere when Aden is intoxicated. The slow motion sequences are also worth acknowledging.

The soundtrack contains a great deal of electronic music during the dance scenes and some heavy metal music is also present.

Drug use plays a big part in this feature and many viewers will probably think of films such as Trainspotting. However, this story is much more than that. It is a story about a day that has a significant impact on the lives of several youngsters. It is a deep commentary about today's youth culture, about friendship, relationships and self-reflection.