Brothers up in arms: Malachi Kirby (Yemi) and O.C. Ukeje (Iku)
Film: Gone Too Far!
Director: Destiny Ekaragha
Screenplay: Bola Agbaje
Genre: Comedy-drama
Review by Christopher Johnson
Director Destiny Ekaragha’s feature debut Gone Too Far!, based on the award winning stage play by British-Nigerian writer Bola Agbaje, raises some serious questions about race and culture in modern day Britain.
The insightful comedy provides a window into the conflict between finding your cultural and national identity as well as the tensions generated between African and Caribbean communities.
When Yemi (Malachi Kirby), a teenage boy growing up in Peckham, meets his estranged brother Iku, (a hilarious O.C. Ukeje) for the first time since he was three, he is utterly disappointed. Instead of a cool older brother, Yemi is greeted by a smiley man “fresh off the boat” from Nigeria, wearing white socks and leather sandals. His Mum (played by Golda John) is ecstatic as she is reunited with her long lost son. To celebrate his return, she sends Yemi out to buy okra to complete the feast she is preparing, with Iku in tow.
Somewhat ashamed of his African heritage, Yemi sees Iku as a hindrance to his attempt to awkwardly win over his romantic crush Armani (Shanika Warren-Markland), who is already in a relationship with the local hard boy Razor (Tosin Cole).
Armani, who is mixed race, despises African culture and works hard to pass herself off as Jamaican. Iku, a proud Nigerian in every sense of the word, isn’t thwarted by Yemi’s attempt to shrug him off during the eventful day the film covers, until a confrontation threatens to break their tenuous relationship for good.
Warren-Markland’s Armani gives an honest portrayal of the ignorant and contradictory stereotypes that degrades African culture. When Yemi finally sees her true colors, their confrontation highlights the internalised racism this type of thinking can generate among young black people.
Culture clash: Yemi (Malachi Kirby) being dragged home by his mother (Golda Young).
Accompanied with tons of laugh out loud moments, Gone Too Far! tries to engage us in a larger conversation about not only how you culturally identify yourself, but how you classify yourself. “How could you say you’re Jamaican and you haven’t even stepped outside these endz?” Yemi says to Armani,
“You Africans are traitors, innit…Back in the day you sold us off as slaves, and then just stayed in Africa, living like some kings and queens,” she rants at Yemi and Iku.
This disdain for African culture, shared by characters such as Razor, feels a little unbelievable and exaggerated. Yet some of Razor’s exchanges about the fear of losing his Caribbean heritage made me question the basis on which I classify myself as a Jamaican.
In one particular scene, Razor is in his car with his sidekick Ghost (Miles McDonald) and Dean (Nelson Ekaragha) smoking marijuana. A conversation about ethnicity is sparked by a question asked on a pirate radio show: “Can Black British rappers with African parents really use West Indian slang in their lyrics?” Razor responds negatively: “Just let the Africans stick to being Africans, and us stick to being us”. Dean disagrees. He believes there is no point in being divided as all our roots trace back to Africa. Dean affirms this point by refuting Razor’s claims about being 100 per cent Jamaican when he was born in England.
This resonated with me as I was born in Jamaica and moved to Canada when I was eight years old. I have now been living in Canada much longer than I lived in Jamaica. The person I am today has come from living in Canada, yet I still consider myself Jamaican. Though Razor has never been to Jamaica, and I was born there, maybe we are more alike than I would have imagined.
There are some standout performances. Tosin Cole is a high energy tour de force in every scene – an ultra sensitive and emotionally driven airhead whose shortcomings provides laughter aplenty. O.C. Ukeje also deserves a special mention as he takes the character of Iku beyond an African stereotype with an emotionally nuanced portrayal of a fish out of water.
Gone Too Far! is a very entertaining movie which will have you laughing throughout, and reflecting afterwards.
Gone Too Far! is out on DVD from 9 February 2015, priced £15.99.
Christopher Johnson is a 22 year old student at York University, Canada, where he is pursuing a degree in Communication Studies and Film. A keen movie watcher, his taste ranges from animation (Toy Story) to thriller (Pulp Fiction).