Mile End Kicks

Aided by an engrossing performance from Ferreira that punctuates every awkward interaction and terrible decision with aplomb, Levack encapsulates the pain and joy of our first steps into adulthood with an assured and humorous hand.

Levack’s screenplay is sharp, deeply human, painful, but genuinely hilarious. You’ll laugh, you’ll swoon, you may even shed a tear. And while it’s formulaic at times, it resists the grand, third-act romantic gesture for a quieter, more resonant finale.

The more we are taken on this journey through Grace’s early foray into adulthood, the more it earns its classic coming-of-age beats while also cutting into something deeper it can call its own.

Ferreira is a believable and sympathetic protagonist, bringing a vulnerability to Grace that makes the viewer root for her even as she blows up her life for reasons even she doesn’t seem to understand.

Filled with heartfelt moments and hardships amidst Grace’s growing young adulthood pains, Levack’s film plays like a new music album that is familiar yet exciting.

Ultimately, Mile End Kicks is a messy, heartfelt portrait of youth and creative ambition.

There are some moments of decent humour and a handful of inoffensive performances buried within, papering over a script riddled with eye-rolling innuendos, but these are never enough to save the film from a sense of dragging towards an unremarkable end.