Cinema’s new teen hero
Khalil has known Starr since she was a baby. At a party, Starr crouches down to rub a stain from Khalil’s boxfresh trainers; it may not sound sexy but it totally is. Minutes after they kiss, he’s dead.
The young cast deliver their lines with bounce. Lamar Johnson and TJ Wright as Starr’s brothers and Riverdale’s Mr Nice, KJ Apa, as her goofily enthusiastic white boyfriend, are a joy. But this is Stenberg’s show. Multi-talented and bold (a singer and comic-book-artist, she’s also a lesbian icon), the 19-year-old is set to be huge.
And controversial. The actress has light skin, even though the character’s skin in the book is described as “medium brown”. Stenberg’s father is white. With some justification, the film has been accused of bowing to “Hollywood’s colourist mentality”. A few scenes near the end feel bloated. And Anthony Mackie, as the permanently cross drug dealer King, must surely have glower-ache. Still, why knock a mainstream drama that’s trying to be different?
A girl falls for two boys, goes to prom, lobs some tear gas. Right here, right now, Starr Carter is a true screen rebel, entirely deserving of your respect and love.
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