The Last Tree (2020)
82%RT Audience Score: 65%
Awards & Nominations: 3 wins & 12 nominations
Distinctive in terms of content, perspective, and insight, The Last Tree vividly depicts the turmoil of adolescence with remarkable grace
The Last Tree” is a coming-of-age drama that explores identity, violence, and language. It’s a moving and powerful film that uses technical strategies to enhance our view into Femi’s emotions. The slow-motion, diffused sound, and Spike Lee-like camera shots make the story extremely personal and unique. The performances are powerful, and the visuals are tactile, adding to the impact of this impressively understated yet profoundly moving tale. Seek this movie out, and you won’t be disappointed!
Production Company(ies)
Hell’s Kitchen Films, Universal Pictures,
Distributor
ArtMattan Films
Release Type
Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
Lagos, Nigeria
MPAA / Certificate
Year of Release
2020
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Color:Color
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Sound mix:Dolby
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Aspect ratio:NA
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Runtime:1h 40m
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Language(s):English
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Country of origin:United Kingdom
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Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Jun 26, 2020 Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Jun 26, 2020
Genre(s)
Drama
Keyword(s)
starring Nicholas Pinnock, Jamal Ibrahim, Jayden Jean-Paul-Denis, Yazzmin Newell, Demmy Ladipo, Rasaq Kukoyi, directed by Shola Amoo, written by Shola Amoo, drama, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Marjorie Baumgarten, Ty Burr, Lovia Gyarkye, Dwight Brown, G Allen Johnson, Charlotte Harrison, Danny Brogan, Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat, Wade Major, Sean P Means, Louis Proyect, producer Lee Thomas, Myf Hopkins, MPAA rating, adolescence, cultural differences, Lincolnshire, London, identity, violence, language, Nigerian immigrant, coming-of-age drama, racial discrimination, Spike Lee-like camera shots, PTSD, personal, unique, technical strategies, slow-motion, diffused sound, elegant fluid score, powerful performances, tactile visuals, distinct, perspective, insight, turmoil
Worldwide gross: $228,676
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $260,957
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,880
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 28,458
US/Canada gross: $10,128
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $11,558
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,818
US/Canada opening weekend: $2,424
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $2,766
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,841
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): NA
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): NA
Production budget ranking: NA
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
ROI to date (est.): NA
ROI ranking: NA
Jamal Ibrahim – Ade
Jayden Jean-Paul-Denis – Tayo
Yazzmin Newell – Dionne
Demmy Ladipo – Mace
Rasaq Kukoyi – Dean
Shola Amoo – Director/Writer
Lee Thomas – Producer
Myf Hopkins – Producer
Director(s)
Shola Amoo
Writer(s)
Shola Amoo
Producer(s)
Lee Thomas, Myf Hopkins
Film Festivals
Sundance
Awards & Nominations
3 wins & 12 nominations
Academy Awards
All Critics (43) | Top Critics (15) | Fresh (42) | Rotten (1)
Rich with technical strategies that enhance our view into Femi’s emotions, The Last Tree uses slow-motion, diffused sound, and many Spike Lee-like camera shots to make the story extremely personal and unique.
July 16, 2020 | Rating: 3/5
Marjorie Baumgarten
Austin Chronicle
TOP CRITIC
As “The Last Tree” ends with the potential of better things for Femi, an audience may walk away convinced of its filmmaker’s promise and looking forward to seeing it blossom in full.
June 29, 2020 | Rating: 2/4
Ty Burr
Boston Globe
TOP CRITIC
I can’t help but be impressed by Amoo’s attempts to direct a familiar narrative with such a complicated set of questions.
June 25, 2020
Lovia Gyarkye
New York Times
TOP CRITIC
Culture shock, abandonment issues and inner-city turmoil produce a PTSD that is rarely acknowledged in film in this way. For that, The Last Tree is a triumph.
June 24, 2020
Dwight Brown
National Newspaper Publishers Association
TOP CRITIC
Seek this movie out.
June 24, 2020 | Rating: 4/4
G. Allen Johnson
San Francisco Chronicle
TOP CRITIC
Powerful performances, tactile visuals and an elegantly fluid score add to the impact of this impressively understated yet profoundly moving tale.
September 29, 2019 | Rating: 4/5
Mark Kermode
Observer (UK)
TOP CRITIC
A moving and powerful film, filled with quiet rage.
October 13, 2020
Charlotte Harrison
Charlotte Sometimes Goes to the Movies
Coming-of-age drama explores identity; violence, language.
August 21, 2020 | Rating: 4/5
Danny Brogan
Common Sense Media
A compelling coming-of-age drama about a Nigerian immigrant in London.
August 8, 2020 | Rating: 4.5/5
Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat
Spirituality & Practice
What a beautiful movie… A very poetic but telling story.
July 9, 2020
Wade Major
FilmWeek (KPCC – NPR Los Angeles)
Adewumni … conveys the hurt and the survival instinct in Femi with spare gestures and soulful eyes. It’s a breakout portrayal.
June 29, 2020 | Rating: 3.5/4
Sean P. Means
The Movie Cricket
A stunning portrait of a young African immigrant cast adrift in a ruthless British society, where even blacks reproduce racial discrimination.
June 26, 2020
Louis Proyect
Counterpunch.org…
Plot
The Last Tree follows Femi, a teenager who struggles with cultural differences and the turmoil of adolescence when he moves from rural Lincolnshire to live with his mother in London.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Nothing to add here about The Last Tree.
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