Blue Story, the acclaimed UK gangster film that was pulled from Vue cinemas in 2019 following violent incidents, is now available to stream on BBC iPlayer. The film, written and directed by Rapman (Andrew Onwubolu), boasts a 93% Rotten Tomatoes rating and has been praised by critics and audiences alike.
The story follows Timmy, a reserved young man from Deptford, who travels to school in Peckham where he meets Marco, a magnetic local. The pair become close friends despite their feuding postcodes, but a gang conflict ultimately destroys their lifelong friendship. The film stars Stephen Odubola and Khali Best.
One Rotten Tomatoes reviewer described the film as 'absolutely beautiful', while an IMDB user awarded it ten stars, calling it 'the best film I've seen in a long time'. Critics have praised its unique storytelling, which includes narrative hip hop interludes from Rapman, and its raw depiction of gang violence.
Blue Story was removed from Vue cinemas in 2019 after a violent altercation at a Birmingham venue. Rapman denied any connection between the film and the incident, suggesting there might be 'hidden reasons' behind the decision. Vue rejected claims of racial motivation, citing 25 incidents reported by staff involving people watching or attempting to watch the film.
Vue's chief executive Tim Richards stated that reports suggesting those involved in incidents were attending Frozen 2 rather than Blue Story were 'simply not true'. The company maintained it does not condone violence or discrimination and has championed diversity in the industry.
