Representation Of Black Youth in Kidulthood (2006)

The British youth is stereotyped as violent, aggressive, hoodie wearing, knife carrying thugs; who do nothing but drink, take drugs, have sex and cause trouble to society. However, this is portrayed in Kidulthood similarly for the majority of the film. Firstly, the main characters in the film are mostly black and may be suggesting more black people cause trouble than white people do. Alisa is pregnant, representing the youth are not careful or just have unprotected sex. Becky, sells her body for money and this is presenting that the youths will do anything for money and almost show no care to themselves. Jay and Mooney who are apart of a gang with Trife (Trevor) (leader), Mooney carries a knife with him. Curtis (Trife's uncle) is a drug dealer. Sam is the antagonist in the film and bullies everyone for everything and even makes a girl (Katie) commit suicide due to it all, whilst his girlfriend Claire is white, she is represented as a 'slut' more or less, and who gets around with anyone at any time. There are some scenes of drug use where Alisa and Becky sniff 'crack' and drink alcohol for fun in Becky's house whilst they are away. Also the ending scene with the house party included loads of alcohol and under age drinking. Both these are obviously portrayed as a negative representation. As well as the violence through the film, it's casual, like an everyday thing. In one particular scene where Jay tried to buy alcohol, has no ID to prove his age and therefore walks out with the drinks whilst the shop keeper gets a bat, expecting this behaviour and Jay throws something at the shop keeper with aggression. Another scene that shows violence is the burger joint - Mooney has onions in his burger and instead of negotiating for a new burger or money back, he gets up (with the gang) and throws the burger at one of the cooks' face whilst she looks down and hangers her head as if there is nothing she can do. The 2 most significant scenes in the film for violence are the beating of Sam, and the house party end scene which results in the death of Trevor after being attacked by Sam.