Ill Manors (Ben Drew, 2012)

R&B rap star Plan B proves himself nothing if not versatile with a well-spliced directing debut, even if the milieu of the 'ill manors' of the title with its feuding East End drug dealers is hardly an imaginative stretch, blending his own background with the stock ingredients of disenfranchised London youth pics such as Adulthood, in which Drew had a supporting role. Still, it's wise to stick to what you know and the musician side does bring in an unusual contribution too, with the story being advanced along by hip-hop segments where the lyrics provide a direct narrative of the action, beyond just working as soundtrack. Don't go here looking for a life-affirming message, though: the most positive characters are the ones who are just victims of circumstance rather than predatory bastards, and the light at the end of the tunnel is mostly likely to be an oncoming train.

5/10