I’d expected this documentary on Sky1 to be depressing, and in many ways, it was, but at the same time, there was something uplifting about it, and I suspect that came about because of filmmaker Chloe Ruthven’s obvious fondness for the subjects of her film, Mario and Nini.

Ruthven first met the boys in 2003 when she was working in a London primary school. Her job was to offer extra tuition to the kids who were falling behind in class, and in order to liven it up, she brought in a camera one day and the rest became the history of the boys’ childhoods.

And it was a regrettably familiar history; poverty, a failing education system and a society entrenched in gang culture meant that as the boys grew, they reflected back what their particular society had taught them. Most notably, this was that violence is commonplace and cool, and that crime pays, if you don’t mind the odd stint in the nick that is. Read more & comment »