THE BOY WITH A LION’S HEART
Lenny Henry stars in the inspirational tale of a foster child trying desperately to find his way back to the family he lost
Imagine being torn away from all that you know and hold dear as a child aged only nine, and then having to struggle to survive in new and unfamiliar surroundings. It’s a heart-wrenching situation that echoes the works of Charles Dickens, but the storyline in this feature-length film produced by Sir Lenny Henry is set in the Midlands in the early 1980s.
Leon (Cole Martin, above) is a mixed-race boy who is wrested away from his mother after she has a nervous breakdown and, as a single parent, is no longer able to take care of him. But to add to his heartbreak, he also has to bid farewell to the baby brother he adores, Jake, whom the authorities place for adoption with a different family.
So begins a journey that sends Leon from one foster mother to another, first the straight-talking but affectionate Maureen (Monica Dolan), and then the cynical Sylvia (Olivia Williams), as he desperately plans a way to be reunited with his family, with only his toy soldiers as allies – albeit imaginary – in his mission.
Yet the youngster has an indefatigably courageous spirit, and he finds new, kind friends in the surprising realm of allotment hobbyists – until more serious concerns of the adult world make themselves felt when a black community protest against police racism erupts into a riot.
Based on the acclaimed 2016 novel by Kit de Waal, this beautifully crafted adaptation is very much the brainchild of Sir Lenny, who recalled: ‘I discovered the book while performing the audiobook and was so moved on the first day’s work that I rang my office at lunchtime and said, “We’ve got to try to do this.”’
It’s directed by Lynette Linton, who runs London’s Bush Theatre, and scripted by actor and writer Shola Amoo.
A strong and starry cast features Dolan, Williams and Sir Lenny himself (above) in a cameo role, plus Christopher Eccleston as a bigoted allotment holder.
But pride of place goes to Cole Martin in his screen debut, instantly revealing himself to be a gifted actor who can hold attention and command sympathy in this emotionally tempestuous but also inspirational saga.
Sir Lenny himself was only 16 when he first appeared on television as a comedian in the 1970s. Now, in Cole Martin, he introduces the world to a prodigious talent who promises to be a name to watch in the future.