Rocks (2020)
88%RT Audience Score: 78%
Awards & Nominations: 6 wins & 6 nominations
Rocks” is a film that captures the essence of modern girlhood with a compassionate and finely observed portrait of a young woman’s gradual breaking down. Director Sarah Gavron’s camera gets fully stuck in, offering a gorgeous movie packed with hope and powered by street cred. The cast, led by Bukky Bakray and Kosar Ali, are unbelievably charming and infectious, making them rockstars in their own right. This exuberant teenage story tackles decidedly grown-up issues with ease, celebrating female strength in a way that never comes close to being trite or patronizing. It’s not only thoughtful, empathetic, and heartfelt, but also offers a fresh perspective to a very familiar genre. In a just world, “Rocks” would become a household name, and Gavron’s film would be recognized as the most authentic film about British teens in years.
Rocks” is the kind of movie that makes you want to grab your besties and take on the world. With a cast of unbelievably charming and infectious rockstars, this coming-of-age drama is a celebration of female strength that never feels trite or patronizing. Director Sarah Gavron’s camera gets fully stuck in, delivering a gorgeous movie packed with hope and powered by street cred. It’s the most authentic film about British teens in years, and if you don’t fall in love with Bukky Bakray and Kosar Ali, you might need to check your pulse.
Production Company(ies)
Compagnie Industrielle et Commerciale Cinématographique Films,
Distributor
NA
Release Type
Filming Location(s)
2502 37th Ave W, Seattle, Washington, USA
MPAA / Certificate
Rated R for terror, violence, a scene of sexual molestation, and for language
Year of Release
1992
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Color:Color
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Sound mix:Dolby
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Aspect ratio:1.85 : 1
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Runtime:NA
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Language(s):English
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Country of origin:United Kingdom
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Release date:Release Date (Streaming): Feb 2, 2021
Genre(s)
Drama
Keyword(s)
starring Bukky Bakray, Ruby Stokes, Sarah Niles, Layo-Christina Akinlude, Sharon D Clarke, Kosar Ali, directed by Sarah Gavron, written by Claire Wilson, Theresa Ikoko, drama, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Ela Bittencourt, Carlos Aguilar, Radheyan Simonpillai, Clarisse Loughrey, Larushka Ivan-Zadeh, Caitlin Quinlan, James Luxford, Elle Hunt, Shikhar Verma, Sarah Ward, Fletcher Powell, produced by Ameenah Ayub Allen, Faye Ward, Hannah Farrell, MPAA rating, coming-of-age story, immigrant communities, London, young woman, brotherly love, friendships, responsibility, authentic, female strength, gritty, heartfelt, real, kids, small, humane
Worldwide gross: $88,036,683
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $188,444,769
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 731
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 20,550,138
US/Canada gross: $88,036,683
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $188,444,769
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 389
US/Canada opening weekend: $7,675,016
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $16,428,568
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 745
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $11,700,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $25,044,149
Production budget ranking: 1,245
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $13,486,274
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): $149,914,346
ROI to date (est.): 389%
ROI ranking: 347
Ruby Stokes – Agnes
Sarah Niles – Ms. Booker
Layo-Christina Akinlude – Funke Omotoso
Sharon D Clarke – Anita
Kosar Ali – Sumaya
Director(s)
Sarah Gavron
Writer(s)
Claire Wilson, Theresa Ikoko
Producer(s)
Ameenah Ayub Allen, Faye Ward, Hannah Farrell
Film Festivals
Toronto
Awards & Nominations
6 wins & 6 nominations
Academy Awards
All Critics (65) | Top Critics (24) | Fresh (63) | Rotten (2)
A compassionate, finely observed portrait of a young woman’s gradual breaking down, as the usual buffers, including brotherly love and friendships, strain under her crushing responsibility.
February 14, 2021
Ela Bittencourt
Sight & Sound
TOP CRITIC
Teeming with an infectious effervescence, the adolescent coming-of-age drama “Rocks” differentiates itself from other recent explorations of modern girlhood set amid immigrant communities.
February 1, 2021
Carlos Aguilar
Los Angeles Times
TOP CRITIC
The cast led by Bukky Bakray and Kosar Ali are unbelievably charming and infectious. In a just world, these rockstars would become household names.
December 8, 2020 | Rating: 5/5
Radheyan Simonpillai
NOW Toronto
TOP CRITIC
The most authentic film about British teens in years.
September 25, 2020 | Rating: 4/5
Clarisse Loughrey
Independent (UK)
TOP CRITIC
It’s the finest film yet from director Sarah Gavron, whose camera no longer hovers politely here, like an earnest tourist, but gets fully stuck in. A gorgeous movie packed with hope and powered by street cred, Rocks rocks.
September 25, 2020 | Rating: 5/5
Larushka Ivan-Zadeh
Metro Newspaper (UK)
TOP CRITIC
A sorrowful yet full-hearted depiction of a young girl at breaking point.
September 24, 2020
Caitlin Quinlan
Little White Lies
TOP CRITIC
a celebration of female strength, told in a way that never comes close to being trite or patronising.
February 17, 2022 | Rating: 9/10
James Luxford
Small Screen
Exuberant teenage story about decidedly grown-up issues
April 29, 2021 | Rating: 3.5/5
Elle Hunt
NME
Gavron’s film moves through a series of genuine moments to more gritty stuff with absolute ease.
April 16, 2021 | Rating: 3.5/5
Shikhar Verma
High on Films
Not only thoughtful, empathetic and heartfelt, but also offering a very familiar genre a fresh perspective.
April 3, 2021
Sarah Ward
Concrete Playground
The extraordinary thing about this movie-and it is extraordinary-is how real the kids feel.
March 18, 2021
Fletcher Powell
KMUW – Wichita Public Radio
Authentic, small, and deeply humane
February 14, 2021 | Rating: B
Jordan Ruimy
World of Reel…
Plot
Peyton Flanders (Rebecca De Mornay) seemed to be the perfect nanny, but secretly she was out to wreck the lives of the family she was supposed to be helping. Before becoming the nanny, Peyton had a miscarriage due to the stress caused by the death of her husband, Dr. Victor Mott (John de Lancie), and blamed it on Claire (the mother, played by Annabella Sciorra),. Claire suspects nothing, having never met Peyton before.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
The cast of Rocks is led by Bukky Bakray, who delivers a standout performance as the titular character.
Sarah-Gavron.jpg
