A warm and tender drama
Ali & Ava is the latest film from British director Clio Barnard. It’s set on a Bradford housing estate, and like her previous titles, The Arbor and The Selfish Giant, it’s not always easy to watch. ..
That’s not to say the film isn’t a good one, however. Barnard is a fine director and storyteller so you shouldn’t skip out on this. But as the main protagonists, whose lives have been touched by tragedy, have little hope for a happy future together, the film can sometimes be quite bleak and that can make for uncomfortable viewing.
This is a realistic portrayal of life, with all the pain and heartache that comes with it. ..
Ali & Ava is a socio-realist drama about two individuals who are struggling to survive, with real problems and real pressures, in a world that rarely features in the cinematic love stories that regularly fill up our television schedules and streaming services. In short, Ali & Ava is an honest and tender look at the challenges of relationships in today’s society. ..
Ali, a Pakistani-British landlord, shares a home with his estranged wife because he can’t confess to his British-Pakistani family that his relationship has ended. While he manages to remain upbeat, despite his cultural predicament, it’s clear that he is inwardly sad and lonely. He desperately needs somebody to hold onto. ..
Ava is a widowed mother who makes a living as a classroom assistant. Like Ali, she has been plagued with a troubled life, one that was rife with marital discord and domestic abuse. She has managed to find happiness in her job and her family but like Ali, it is also clear that she is lonely and troubled. ..
These two people are a perfect example of how to live a fulfilling life despite the challenges that come with it. They are able to remain positive and smile despite the obstacles in their lives, which is something that many people can’t do. Their relationship is also a source of strength, as it helps them stay together even when things are tough.
Ali and Ava quickly fall in love and are happy to find happiness together, but their respective families threaten to tear them apart. Ali’s sister is worried about the effect his relationship will have on his parents, and Ava’s son is unhappy that his mother is dating again, mainly because he misses his real father. There is the assumption that he may be a little racist too. ..
Clio Barnard’s films often explore the complicated relationships between people, and in her latest release, Ali and Ava seem to be on the brink of breaking up. Despite their family’s prejudices, I found myself rooting for them throughout their story. However, I was left curious about how their relationship would end - and I was not disappointed.
The film is a good one, but it is a little oblique at times. Despite the themes of racism, abuse, and social division that form an intrinsic part of the story, they are rarely shown on screen. On the one hand, this is something of a relief as this already bleak film would have become even bleaker. But as these themes are at the heart of Ali and Ava’s suffering, more scenes highlighting the effect these have on their relationship could have added more dramatic heft. The film drifts from one scene to the next and when problems arise in their relationship, we are sometimes left to fill in the blanks when determining what might be causing them.
This film is not about giving exposition; the director or script doesn’t need to do that. The film is about the characters and their relationships, and you will need to use your own intelligence to connect scenes together.
In the 1970s and 80s, kitchen sink dramas were all the rage thanks to Ken Loach and directors like him. They showed us what life was really like for people growing up in certain parts of Britain without the optimistic escapism that other filmmakers tried to push onto us. These dramas showed us how hard life was, how dangerous it could be, and how much work there was to do every day. They showed us that we had to be careful what we wished for, because sometimes things just didn’t go our way.
While Ali and Ava might be difficult to watch at times, we should still be thankful for Clio Barnard and the handful of filmmakers like her (Lynne Ramsay, Shane Meadows), that continue to work within this genre.
Some people will hate her films because they ignore the class and racial issues that exist in the UK today. Others won’t watch her films because they are living the problems she presents. ..
This film isn’t as miserable as some, so don’t expect to come away feeling overly depressed by your viewing experience. This is a warm and tender drama that is more optimistic than some of Barnard’s work, even if the chances of a happy ending aren’t always on the cards.
