Outstanding ferocity of a mother's love
Director/screenwriter Daisy-May Hudson’s fictional debut is a powerful story of the ferocity of a mother’s love and friendship delivered in a raw, richly organic manner marking Lollipop as a highpoint of this year’s British Film Festival and of recent film releases in general.
Lollipop begins with Molly (Posy Sterling) being released from a short prison term with the aim of being reunited as quickly as possible with her children who had been in state care since her mother, Sylvie (TerriAnn Cousins), who is battling her own personal issues, surrendered them during Molly’s prison term. Molly is faced with beginning her life again from nothing as she battles homelessness and bureaucratic systems that frustrates her resulting in her lashing out and making the situation worse for her prospects of regaining her children.
At her lowest ebb, she is reunited with an old friend, Amina (Idil Ahmed), who is also facing difficulties resulting from the breakdown of her relationship with her child’s father but refuses to be defeated and her positivity helps to change Molly’s downward trajectory.
Daisy-Mary Hudson did not come up through the usual film school route, instead her background is that of documentary making which helps Lollipop with its gritty feel interspersed with quiet moments of touching beauty. Hudson based the script on her own experience and researched widely with those involved in child protection so that all sides of the story could be represented with the aim of not to criticise the system but to hold a mirror to it.
Posy Sterling is engrossing as Molly with a dynamic performance brilliantly traversing a spectrum of human emotions. Similarly, Idil Ahmed is outstanding as Amina delivering an absorbing performance. TerriAnn Cousins is compelling as the troubled Sylvie and young actors, Tegan-Mia Stanley Rhoads as Ava and Aliyah Abdi as Mya, are equally superb.
Interspersed with Hudson’s and Director of Photography Jamie Ackroyd’s exceptional images is Music Supervisor, Connie Farr’s engaging soundtrack including original music by James William Blades.
Lollipop is a marvellous emotional film navigating a mother’s journey delivered by strong performances by the cast and is an impressive fictional film debut for Daisy-May Hudson – a sign of the richness of this year’s British Film Festival.
Reviewed by Rob McKinnon
Lollipop is currently showing as part of the Russell Hobbs British Film Festival at Palace Nova Eastend and Prospect.
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